So I’ve had an executive coach for almost a year and I’ve done a bad job of setting goals. I’ve been way too easy on myself.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve been getting a ton of things done, but I can push myself further. Many goals have been set but they haven’t been hard enough. Not enough stretch.

My coach isn’t letting me let myself off the hook anymore.

So here’s the deal. I just went through a quality goal setting session and I have set some goals and sent them off to my coach. If I don’t have them accomplished by 31DEC that’s my appetizer there in the picture.

Yup.

I’m eating dog food I don’t hit these goals.

All of ’em – achieved.

Just in case you’re wondering if there is any wiggle room in my goals – you haven’t had an executive coach.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is private.

Goal setting forces us to grow more. We stretch and push the boundaries of what we can achieve. It forces the creation of new capabilities and capacities.

Goal setting is scary sometime. What happens if we fail? Does that make us a failure? Nah – not a chance. But sometimes it feels like those failures are a bit more personal. The crazy ones though – they figure out what went wrong, adjust, and try again.

I’m not sharing what my goals are publicly. In general terms though some are very personal, some are about making a bigger impact through my Technology In OPS program, and some are about growing even more in preparation for a masterfully wicked 2014.

Fear not though – my coach will hold me to them and I promise to report back.

And I have NO INTENTION of eating the dog food – but if I don’t achieve the goals I’ll do it. I don’t even want to imagine how nasty it will taste but I probably should. Just to make sure that I stay laser-focused.

But leverage is a requirement.

Hence the dog food.