The life of a solo entrepreneur can be a lonely one at times – even more so if you work in the online world. We all have days where we feel like taking a sledge hammer to the keyboard…. (we do? don’t we? Surely I’m not the only one!)
Frustration builds up!
There are too many distractions!
Result – a whole lot of Nothing gets done!
The trouble is there is no boss to keep a check on your work load. You are the boss and if you slack off there is no one to give you that little pep talk to get you back on track.
This last weekend I competed in a Dragon Boat Festival and the first thing they tell you is to know, at all times, where your paddling partner is (you know….the person you are jammed into the tiny seat next too!). If the boat capsizes, return to the boat and find your partner.
It has a name – the ‘Buddy System‘.
The dictionary definition is this:
The buddy system is a procedure in which two people, the “buddies”, operate together as a single unit so that they are able to monitor and help each other.
The term is used by the Army, the Navy, the Air Force (although they might call it a ‘Wingman’), the boy scouts, sub-aqua divers and school children all over the world. Seems everyone is using this system. Well maybe, just maybe, they are onto something!
Imagine if you had a ‘buddy‘ in your business! Someone to ‘kick butt‘ when you were having an off day! Someone to answer to at the end of the week! Wouldn’t that make you just a little more accountable. No more slacking off for that fifth coffee break of the afternoon, or that game of Bubble Smash on Facebook.
Well that’s precisely what you need – an ‘accountability partner‘. Go and find someone who is as equally committed to their own business as you are to yours. This person should be someone you trust, admire and someone that is honest enough to tell you when you need to be told! They may be a long term friend or someone you haven’t even met face to face. They just need to be able to give (and to take) an honest, unbiased, outside opinion. I say ‘take’ as well, as this is definitely a two-way process – two ‘buddies’ working together.
Arrange to talk to your buddy once a week and keep a note of their accomplishments and failings on a weekly basis, so you can hold them accountable the next week. Don’t let them off the hook because you can bet they won’t let you off the hook! I can guarantee there will be times when you hate doing this but if you make it a habit it will benefit you in the long run. You will find your work ethic ramps up a notch and you will start to learn things about yourself that you didn’t realise, just from the input of an independent pair of eyes (and ears). You will start to get more accomplished on a daily and weekly basis and your business will prosper and grow (and hopefully so will your buddy’s business!)
So what’s stopping you? Who is going to be the Iceman to your Maverick? (Google Top Gun if you don’t get that!) Oh and if anyone wants ME to be their buddy just leave me a message – I always wanted to be someone’s wingman!
If you don’t have a ‘buddy’ yet and want a good place to start, find a FaceBook group of like minded people. Contribute and engage with other’s comments. You’ll be surprised at how quickly a ‘like-minded’ person shows up for you.
