Sound familiar? It’s easy to try to do everything yourself. The consequences? No sounding board to help you brainstorm and expand your ideas. No one to encourage you or hold you accountable as you chase our goals.

Why use one mind, when two can do the job three times faster? Why go it alone, when you can have support along the way?

To achieve your goals, it’s important to have an individual or team that can push you, in more ways than one, to be all you can be.

Find some people, aside from your current circle of friends and family, who will form one of the following relationships with you. You won’t believe the impact it will have on the lives of everyone involved.

1. Accountability partner. Find someone who holds you accountable for keeping your commitments, challenges you when you are shooting too low and supports you when you are ready to throw in the towel. Do the same for that person. Meet regularly and check in by phone for deadlines.

2. Mentor. Find someone that you respect in your industry and invite them for lunch. Tell them what you’re seeking in a mentor (meetings once a month, on the phone, in person, etc). Most people are flattered and willing to spend one to two hours a month guiding someone else in their industry.

3. Coach. Professional coaches provide an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Coaching is a personal choice, so book free sample sessions with three to four coaches before choosing one.

4. Advisory board. Create a small advisory board of five to eight people. Diversify the group as much as possible so you have all the necessary entities covered (legal, financial, industry expert, etc). It’s best to meet every quarter and be able to contact them in between meetings if necessary.

5. Networking groups. Small, professional networking or lead-share groups of like-minded people are a great way to brainstorm ideas. Meeting once a month, with calls and e-mails in between, works effectively and efficiently. Attend at least three meetings to determine if a particular group is the best fit for you. If you don’t find a group that fits you, then create your own.

6. Mastermind group. These groups of individuals meet regularly to share thoughts, opinions and information. Some are industry specific, while others invite colleagues from different industries to discuss ideas on a variety of topics. Some groups address only professional topics; others include personal issues. Ensure that your values and goals match those of the group before you join.

No matter what format you use, create a successful team by including these three ingredients: trust, clear communication and accountability.

When you have chosen a team to support you, and have trust, clear communication and accountability within your team, you’ll find that you can reach your goals much faster.