Goadgetter is a wordplay on the noun go-getter, which describes one who is often assertive, ambitious and requires little prompting to go after what they want. I, on the other hand don’t always move so swiftly. I’m more of a ‘goad-getter.’

The expression was coined after I took a deep dive in the study of adhering to instruction. The suggested teaching method was “to goad.”

The goad, being a traditional farming tool, often long with a pointed end, was commonly used by ranchers to provoke and direct livestock towards a preferred path. The imagery of the tool used to prod, guide and urge forward the wandering and distracted soul deeply resonated within me. How often have I started out on a mission, only to be lured away by the nonessentials of the day. And then I felt the goad, nudging me back on path.