No one cares about your career as much as you do, right? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little support to hit your goals. Start an accountability club that will keep you focused on creating the career you want. Here’s how:

Choose your compañeras. You’ll need a small group of three to five people who can meet regularly. Some people feel more comfortable with friends. Others think objective advice from strangers is best. In these cases, make sure you share something in common (either you’re in the same industry or at the same career level, or you’re similarly self-employed or freelancing). Remember, discretion is key. You all must know that anything shared will be strictly confidential.

Commit. Whatever time you choose for meetings, it has to be sacred. If people start flaking out or you have to reschedule over and over, things will fall apart quickly. With that said, the group might not work out for everyone. Set a date a few months down to reassess.

Keep things structured. Take turns at each meeting to talk about what you’re working on. Set a time limit. Each member should have about 20 minutes. The idea is that this check-in will help crystallize personal goals and push you to act towards them. The group’s responsibility? To offer advice and feedback and to call you out on it whenever you’re missing your targets.

Be professional. This is not the time to vent about your significant other or show off photos of that cool restaurant you hit last week. Consider this work time and stay on topic.

Have you ever walked into a company-related social gathering and noticed right away that handsome, tall guy with a killer smile? An hour later you bump into him and start some small talk. While you’re mesmerized talking to him, you begin to get distracted by his negative comments. With every passing minute, the guy standing in front of you is looking less attractive than you had originally imagined. Why? It’s simple: his choice of words.

What we say can hurt us. If you’re coming from a mental place of fear or deficiency, your language will likely reflect that. Words can have the power to motivate and inspire, or create doubt and fear.

Words You Should Avoid at All Costs
Don’t let your mental chatter color your spoken language. There is a powerful link between your thoughts, emotions and actions -- a feedback loop that can make you feel like a millionaire or like a big-time loser. So watch your thinking before you speak.

Here are some practical tips on confident speaking:

• Avoid using words that are heavy, negative and loaded
• Get rid of phrases like “I can’t” and “I should have”
• Don’t be afraid of inflating your skills, traits and achievements
• Saying less is sometimes more
• Get in touch with how words you use make you feel
• Keep in mind that your words can impact other people’s impression of you

We leave you with a common icebreaker exercise: “Choose three words to describe yourself.” Reminder: Think before you speak.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/Ridofranz