"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." said the Cat.
"I don't much care where –" said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go." said the Cat.

This scene from Alice in Wonderland contains an insight that goes far beyond the world of fairy tales. How often do we navigate through life and work life without a clear direction? We do, we run, we manage – but do we really know where we are headed?

Goals as a direction – not a constraint

When we talk about goals, it's easy to see them as final destinations, fixed points we must achieve to feel successful. But goals are actually tools – they provide us with a direction to move towards, but the path to get there can change.

Leadership coaching is not about locking someone into a rigid goal setting, but about helping leaders find a meaningful direction. A goal is like a lighthouse – it helps us stay on course even in changing and uncertain times.

Goals and professional coaching – deeper than SMART

SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Accepted, Realistic, and Time-bound) are well-known in goal setting, but coaching goes further than that. Professional coaching helps you to:

✔ Explore what truly matters – Is this your goal, or someone else's expectations?
✔ Find the inner drive – What makes you want to achieve this goal?
✔ Accept and embrace change – How can you maintain a clear direction but be flexible in how you get there?
✔ Overcome inner obstacles and self-doubt – What is stopping you? How can you work on it?

Goals that energize – and goals that drain

Not all goals are created equal. Some energize, while others feel like external demands. When you set goals, ask yourself:

🔹 Is this a goal I want to achieve, or a goal I feel I have to achieve?
🔹 Do I feel curiosity and motivation about this goal, or does it feel heavy and stressful?
🔹 What would happen if I changed my perspective on the goal?

Research shows that meaningful goals, where we see a clear connection between our effort and our inner motivation, leads to better results and greater well-being.

When goals feel difficult – or meaningless

Have you ever set a goal but then lost motivation halfway? It may be because the goal lacks a connection to your values. One of the most important tools in coaching is to help people not only set goals – but to set right goal.

Alice in Wonderland learned that if she didn't care where she was going, the road didn't matter. But it also means that if you actually want something – if you have a dream, an ambition, a vision – then the path matters in the world.

Which path do you want to take?

Coaching helps you explore your goals in a way that feels meaningful. It's not just about reaching a destination, but about choosing a path that feels right for you – as a leader, as a person.

👉 Do you want to find out what really matters to you? Book a free consultation here so that we could explore together where you want to go – and how you can get there. Let's make sure that you are not just wandering – but that you are moving in a direction that means something.