Every goal is a journey. The problem is, most people set out without a map. They feel inspired, they take a few steps, but then the roadblocks appear and progress stops. I use a simple metaphor with clients to fix this. I call it the horse-trip model. It maps any goal in four clear steps: A, B, fuel, and toll.
This model is simple enough for anyone to grasp in minutes, yet powerful enough to explain why most goals fail. And once you’ve seen it, you can apply it to every coaching conversation. Let’s walk through the four steps.
The origins of the horse-trip model
Imagine we’re living 150 years ago. You don’t have a car, you have a horse. If you want to travel from one town to another, you can’t just jump on and ride. You need to know four things: where you are, where you want to go, how much fuel you have, and what the toll will cost you.
The horse-trip metaphor makes abstract coaching concepts tangible. Once people see it, they never forget it. And it applies just as well to modern goals as it did to real journeys long ago.
Step 1 – Point A: know your starting point
No baseline means no progress line. You can’t plan a trip if you don’t know where you are right now. The same goes for personal and professional goals. If a client wants to run a marathon, their plan depends on whether they’re already a weekly runner or they haven’t jogged in years. Same destination, completely different map.
As coaches, our job is to hold up an honest mirror. Not a microscope that exaggerates small cracks, not rose-colored glasses that distort reality. Just a clear reflection. Start with Point A, or you’re already lost.
Step 2 – Point B: define your destination
Vague goals create vague travel. If your client says, “I want better balance” or “I want to be healthier,” there’s no map. Point B has to be specific. Leave the office by 6:00 p.m. three times a week. Exercise 30 minutes before work. Publish one article a month.
Here’s a simple test: can a six-year-old repeat your goal and still keep the meaning? If not, simplify it. The clearer Point B is, the easier it is to plan the trip.
Step 3 – Fuel: the why that survives storms
A horse can only run if it has food and water. People can only move if they have emotional fuel. This is pillar three of the 4P Clarity Method. Logic is not enough. You need a why that still burns when the weather turns bad.
I once worked with a grandmother who wanted better time management. On the surface it was about schedules. But when we dug deeper, her real why was this: “I want to be remembered as the grandmother who was there.” That one sentence gave her more drive than any planner ever could. Fuel makes the journey unstoppable.
Step 4 – Toll: the price of the journey
Every trip costs something: food, equipment, time. Every goal also has a toll. It could be hours of work, money invested, or comfort sacrificed. If the price stays hidden, the journey stalls. If the price is named, the client can choose to pay it.
Eric, one of my clients, dreamed of writing a novel. Evenings disappeared into Netflix. When he finally priced the goal, he decided to trade three streaming nights a week for 300–400 words. Eleven months later, he finished his manuscript. Every yes hides a no. You can’t say yes to a goal without saying no to something else.
Why this model works
The horse-trip model works because it’s simple, complete, and actionable. Simple, so clients remember it. Complete, because it covers the four common leaks. Actionable, because you can diagnose quickly which part is missing.
If Point A is unclear, the trip stalls. If Point B is fuzzy, the map collapses. If there’s no fuel, the first storm kills momentum. If the toll is ignored, resistance builds. Four parts, one journey. Miss one, and the whole trip fails.
What this means for you
Next time a client struggles, use the horse-trip model. Ask: Do we know Point A? Do we know Point B? Do we have enough fuel? Is the toll named and agreed? If one answer is missing, that’s where the work begins.
With all four steps in place, goals stop being wishes. They become trips that finish. And once a client experiences that, they’ll never confuse inspiration with follow-through again.
Want a personalized clarity system?
If this resonates, don’t stop here. You can have a tailored blueprint built around your exact goals, challenges, and energy patterns.
👉 See the full 4P Clarity Method here:
https://coachraido.com/4p-clarity-method/