The Pactful blog
Goals, habits and the people who help you keep them
Short, practical articles based on real research. We check our sources, and we tell you when the evidence is thin.
Goals · 5 min read
Fell off track? How to restart your goal without starting from zero
Why one slip turns into a month, why it matters less than you think, and a five-step plan to get going again.
Read →
Goals · 5 min read
New Year’s resolutions that actually last: what the research says
Resolutions work better than their reputation. How to land in the successful half, and why you shouldn’t wait for January.
Read →
Sport · 5 min read
How to keep exercising through a dark Northern European winter
Seven and a half hours of daylight, sideways drizzle and a very good sofa. Seven ways to keep moving anyway.
Read →
Friendship · 5 min read
How to make friends as an adult, especially in a new city
How many hours friendship really takes, why “let’s grab coffee sometime” fails, and six things that work.
Read →
Sport · 4 min read
Why a workout buddy helps, and how to find a good one
The Köhler effect, a cold November morning, and five things to look for in a training partner.
Read →
Goals · 5 min read
Motivation dip? Why the middle of a goal is the hardest part
The start is exciting, the finish pulls you in, and the middle is just long. What research says about week seven, and how to get through it.
Read →
Work · 5 min read
Accountability for founders and solopreneurs: how to stay on track without a boss
Why working alone makes the important things slip, and six ways to build outside pressure into a solo business.
Read →
The basics · 4 min read
What is an accountability partner, and do you need one?
What a partner does, why it works, how it differs from a coach or mastermind, and who it’s for.
Read →
Sport · 6 min read
Your first half marathon: how to actually make it to the start line
Why so many first-timers never start, what research says about the 10% rule, and a simple structure for your training.
Read →
Habits · 5 min read
How to build habits that stick, and why it’s not 21 days
How long habits really take, why missing a day is fine, and five research-backed tricks.
Read →
Finding your person · 4 min read
What to look for in an accountability partner: 7 green flags and 3 red ones
Reliability, rhythm, honesty and a few things nobody tells you. Plus a safety note for meeting someone new.
Read →
Habits · 5 min read
How to stop procrastinating: what actually works, according to research
You’re not lazy. Why we put things off, and six things that make starting easier.
Read →
Goals · 4 min read
How to make a pact that works: goals, obstacles and check-ins
A simple template for you and your accountability partner, plus the three check-in questions we love.
Read →
Finding your person · 4 min read
How to find an accountability partner without making it weird
Where to look, how to ask, and what to agree on in your first conversation.
Read →
Learning · 5 min read
Learning Dutch or German as an adult: why a practice partner makes the difference
Day 147 of your app streak and still frozen at the bakery? What research says about learning as an adult, and how to practise with a partner.
Read →
The research · 4 min read
Why goals are easier with a partner: what the research actually says
Forget the made-up statistics. Here’s what real studies say about accountability, and how to use it.
Read →
Work · 6 min read
How to build a side business while working full time
Wednesday, 21:40, laptop or sofa? Why keeping your job isn’t a cop-out, and how to make real progress in six hours a week.
Read →