Goal Trackers vs. Accountability Partners: What Works Best?

If you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner, or solopreneur juggling multiple responsibilities, you’ve probably hit that wall where you have ambitious goals but struggle with the “how” of getting there.

Truth is, setting goals is easy. Actually achieving them? That’s where the real work begins.

One Topic: Online Goal Trackers & Accountability Partners: What’s Best for You?

Today, I want to talk about two powerful tools that can help you push past those roadblocks: online goal trackers and accountability partners. Each offers unique benefits, and choosing the right one can make all the difference in your journey.

The Evolution of Business Goals

Remember when you first started? Your goal was simple: make enough to pay the bills.

But as your business grew, so did your ambitions. Now you’re looking at:

• Diversifying Revenue Streams – Successful entrepreneurs typically have multiple income streams. This isn’t just about making more money—it’s about creating stability. When one revenue channel slows down, others can pick up the slack. Think about it: a creator led business with products, services, affiliate partnerships, and licensing deals. That’s four income streams right there, often working simultaneously while you focus on growth.
• Streamlining Your Business – Behind every successful one person business is usually a system of support. Smart automations handle repetitive tasks, while virtual assistants tackle work that needs a human touch. This frees you to focus on what you do best—strategic thinking and business development.
• Finding Work-Life Balance – Many business owners reach a point where they want to step back and enjoy life without sacrificing income. With the right systems in place, your business can continue to thrive even when you’re not actively working on it.
• Building Authority – Becoming recognised as an expert opens doors to new opportunities, partnerships, and premium clients. Publishing books, speaking at events, and strategic collaborations all help establish you as a leader in your industry.

Online Goal Trackers For the Self-Driven Entrepreneur

If you thrive on independence and visual progress, online goal trackers might be your perfect match.

These digital tools help you:

• Break down big goals into manageable tasks
• Track progress through status categories
• Visualise your advancement with charts and graphs
• Receive automatic reminders for upcoming deadlines

Best for: Entrepreneurs who are self-motivated but need structure and visual feedback.

Top Goal Trackers for Business Owners:

• Strides helps you prioritise tasks so you focus on what needs attention now rather than getting overwhelmed by future goals.
• ATracker excels at time tracking with customisable reports—perfect if you need to monitor how you’re allocating hours across projects or clients.
• StickK adds extra motivation through “commitment contracts” and optional charitable donations if you miss targets. The stakes make you more likely to follow through.

Accountability Partners For the Socially Motivated

If external motivation energies you, accountability partnerships or mentors might be your answer.

These human connections provide:

• Regular check-ins on your progress & avoid procrastination
• Motivational support during productivity slumps
• Fresh perspectives on business challenges
• Emotional backing when obstacles arise
• Celebration partners for your wins

Best for: Business owners who draw energy from collaboration and respond well to external expectations.

Ways to Find Accountability Partners:

• Flown creates virtual co-working spaces where you can join existing sessions or create your own with selected partners.
• Flow Club adds structure with goal-setting for each session, plus optional focus music to keep your productivity high.
• Focusmate specialises in one-on-one virtual sessions for any task—from client pitches to administrative work.
• Deepwrk was designed with ADHD individuals in mind but works well for any entrepreneur seeking the benefits of body doubling (working alongside others).

Which Path Should You Choose?

The answer depends on your working style:

• If you’re internally motivated but need organization and visual tracking, goal trackers provide the structure without the social component.
• If you thrive on interaction and find that commitment to others keeps you on track, accountability partnerships offer that human element technology can’t replicate.

Many successful entrepreneurs actually use both: goal trackers for day-to-day management and accountability partners for bigger projects or when motivation wanes.

What matters is picking the approach that matches how you naturally work. The best system is the one you’ll actually use consistently.

Read last week’s JustDraft newsletter about RAT Cognitive Test

Two Quotes

Success isn’t just about setting the right goals—it’s about having systems that make those goals inevitable rather than optional.

The entrepreneur who measures progress daily will accomplish more in a month than others do in a year of good intentions.

One Passage From A Book

Essentialists see trade-offs as an inherent part of life, not as an inherently negative part of life. Instead of asking, ‘What do I have to give up?’ they ask, ‘What do I want to go big on?’ The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. Instead of making choices reactively, the Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the nonessentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage. In other words, Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.

📚From “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown