Most of us are exceptionally good at setting goals. We're just not particularly good at achieving them.

A Goal Without a Deadline Is a Fantasy

There's a simple progression I wish every leader understood.

A goal without a deadline is a fantasy.

A goal with only a deadline is an objective.

A goal with a deadline and a plan is a strategy.

A goal with a deadline, a plan, and consistent action creates the possibility of success.

Notice that last distinction.

Action doesn't guarantee success; but without action, success is little more than wishful thinking.

The Science of Getting Things Done

I know many of you are firm disciples of the SMART goal principles that are everywhere these days. I want to talk to you about another important concept: Implementation Intentions.

Motivation gets us started. Systems make it more likely that we'll keep going.

In our soccer program, we could talk endlessly about winning championships, or we could identify the specific behaviours that championship teams demonstrate. The conversation can shift to behaviours, and behaviours can be observed, measured, coached and improved.

The Question Every Leader Should Ask

When I think about the teams I've coached and the organizations I've led, the greatest breakthroughs rarely came from a brilliant new vision. They came when we stopped talking about what we wanted and started changing what we did.

• The addition of a morning practice.
• The difficult conversation I have been avoiding.
• The weekly review of our performance.
• The willingness to confront uncomfortable data.
• The decision to do something differently tomorrow.

None of these moments makes for a particularly inspiring motivational poster; but collectively, they create the conditions for extraordinary performance.

So here's my challenge:

Think about the most important goal you've set for yourself or your organization this year.

Now ask four questions:

1. Do I have a clearly defined goal?
2. Have I established a meaningful deadline?
3. Is there a credible plan with measurable milestones?
4. What am I willing to do differently this week to move closer to achieving the goal?

If you can't answer that last question, you might not have a strategy. You might just have a very well-organized fantasy.

Dreams don't become reality when we announce them. They become possible when we build the discipline to act on them.

That, my friends, is where leadership begins.