Accountability is crucial if you want to thrive in network marketing. When you are accountable, you take ownership of your actions and results. The point is.. You don't make excuses or blame others when things don't go as planned. Here are my initial mistakes and how you can learn from it.

Take Responsibility for Your Decisions

When I first started in network marketing, I made some poor decisions. I wasted time on unproductive activities. I didn't follow up with prospects. I didn't learn the skills I needed. At first, I blamed my upline, my team, the company. But eventually I realized that I needed to take responsibility. I made the choice to join the business. The results I got were based on my own efforts. Once I embraced accountability, my mindset shifted. Instead of looking to others, I asked myself "What can I do differently?" I focused on areas within my control.

Review Your Actions Regularly

Now, I do a review each week to hold myself accountable. I look at my activities and results.

• How many prospects did I contact?
• How many presentations did I do?
• How many new team members did I recruit?

I am honest about what went well and what needs improvement. Taking this accountability review keeps me on track towards my goals. When you measure your actions consistently, you can course correct quickly. I fine tune my schedule and priorities based on the review. This keeps me accountable week after week.

Find an Accountability Partner

In my first few years, I struggled with consistency. Some weeks I slacked off and procrastinated. An accountability partner changed that. I teamed up with my friend Mike who was also building his business. We committed to speak each Sunday night. On the call we reported our progress and plan for the next week. Knowing I had to report in kept me motivated to follow my plan. Mike also shared ideas and encouraged me when I was struggling. Having an accountability partner provides perspective. When you only account to yourself, it's easy to justify your actions. Reporting to someone else forces you to be truthful.

Learn From Your Mistakes

Early on, I was embarrassed when I didn't meet my weekly goals. I would make excuses or even lie about my activities. But I realized this was counterproductive. Analyzing my mistakes helps me improve. Now, I own up to errors and learn from them. For example, one week I set a goal to contact 30 prospects but only reached out to 10. In my accountability review, I reflected on why I fell short. I realized I hadn't efficiently scheduled time for prospecting each day. The next week, I blocked time on my calendar specifically for prospect outreach. This small shift led me to hit my goal. Taking accountability for mistakes allows growth.

Stay Consistent Over Time

The most important thing I've learned is that accountability requires consistency. I still do weekly reviews years later. It's not a one-time thing. There are weeks where I get off track or overwhelmed. My accountability system keeps me moving forward in the right direction. It's easy to start out gung-ho with a new sense of accountability. But you must stick with the process to see results over months and years. If you commit to accountability, you can build the business and life of your dreams.