A few days ago Ian posted a challenge on our challenging coaching LinkedIn group – ‘What is your courageous goal for 2013?’ I was intrigued by this question since I realised that I couldn’t immediately answer it. Having written a book with a chapter titled ’Courageous Goals’ I felt uncomfortable with the risk of not ‘walking the talk’ so I took the question to my own supervisory coaching session with my long-standing coaching partner, Edwina Neale.
In our contracting for the session I asked Edwina to be challenging and sure enough I got to experience what it is like to be on the other end of the challenging coaching stick! At one point, I shared with Edwina that a possible courageous goal for 2013 would be to have over 1,000 members of the challenging coaching LinkedIn group. Quick as a flash, Edwina came back to me and said ‘I can see how that is a very SMART goal but what is courageous about it?’ Suddenly I was ‘hoisted by my own petard’ – I experienced that moment when, no matter how much you try to wriggle out of it, you’re caught in a corner.
‘You’re right’ I reluctantly declared ‘That is a SMART goal but there is nothing courageous about it’. I knew there was an obvious follow up question and sure enough it soon came boldly down the phone line – ‘So how could you make this goal courageous?’ Again, I was in that corner and I had to think and dig deep. ‘America!’ I exclaimed. ‘I want to present to a coaching audience in America in 2013 with Ian!’ As I said this my heart leapt – partly due to the excitement of the possibility of achieving the goal and partly due to the feeling of panic that I had just shared it!
Now who knows how that courageous goal might be achieved? Also, who knows why for me it is so exciting and frightening. I suspect it is something to do withAmerica’s sheer scale and its reputation as the home of the brave and land of the free. It is an idea that definitely takes me out of my comfort zone. All I need to know right now is that with Edwina’s help I have been challenged to dream and I have shared a dream for 2013 – first with Edwina herself and now with you, the reader of this blog. With that sharing I can already feel the dream coming closer and I know the process has begun.
So now it is my turn to challenge you – What are your courageous goals for 2013? With whom do you need to share those courageous goals? What is the first step that you need to take to commit? As you ponder these questions, remember the words of the Scottish mountaineer and writer, W.H.Murray when he said:-
‘Until on is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative, there is on elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!’
Share your courageous goal for 2013 via our LinkedIn challenging coaching group