There is a myth in the world that personal development is personal. I believe otherwise. If we could do things on our own we would have already done them. The people around us are the best form of accountability that we can have since we interact with them so frequently. The motivation that you get from reading a self-help book or going to a weekend conference is very difficult to sustain long-term without a supportive community.

Peer pressure has a connotation of being negative. The term conjures up thoughts of high schoolers urging their peers to drink alcohol or smoke against their will. This same force that encourages someone to do something that they don’t want to do can also be used to encourage you to accomplish your goals. Positive peer pressure is a key component to Guaranteed Goals because it creates accountability without requiring any extra effort from peers beyond being a good friend.

We tend to put the goals of our spouse, children, boss, professors, and others ahead of our own. It’s usually because we care about those people deeply. But how can you authentically encourage others to pursue their goals and dreams while not pursuing your own? Sometimes you have to be selfish and go after what you want. We’re more comfortable disappointing ourselves, than we are disappointing others. However, you can use this innate desire to please others to your advantage if you can find others who are willing to help you, and hold you accountable in the same way you hold them accountable. Rather than looking at people-pleasing or caring what others think negatively, how can we use it to our advantage? We can simply leverage this desire to please others by getting those we love involved in our goals.

Our personal transformation also affects others. If other people are going to benefit from your growth, why not get them involved in holding you accountable to your goals. To take it one step further, there may be people already around you who would benefit from starting a Guaranteed Goals Group with you or doing a particular goal with you. Collaborative goal achievement has been proven to lead to better outcomes. Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, and Toast Masters have demonstrated the power of the collective. Marathon training groups are also great examples of individuals coming together to support one another in pursuit of a common goal.