Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) Ignite Momentum—If You Dare to Go Bold

Every so often, a team or individual throws off ordinary expectations and commits to a challenge so bold it gives them chills. The concept of the BHAG—the Big Hairy Audacious Goal—reflects this kind of thinking. At Boeing, leaders once risked a huge portion of the company’s finances and reputation to build the world’s first commercial jet, when others played it safe. Their excitement was palpable; many thought they were reckless. But that enormous, clear target pulled thousands together, generating daily energy from janitors to engineers.

In more familiar settings, the same effect appears when a band teacher announces they’ll win state championships, or a family decides they’ll hike every weekend for a year. Psychological science tells us that large, public goals create a sense of identity, urgency, and—often—surprising achievement. The catch: to work, the goal must feel meaningful, a little terrifying, and require real commitment.

Most of us settle for safe targets, believing humility requires smallness. But what if your next burst of energy and progress waits just on the other side of big, shared ambition? You might be wrong, but sometimes, that’s not what matters—the movement makes all the difference.

Ask yourself—if you couldn’t fail, what bold goal would you set? Write it in plain words, not hidden behind jargon or technicalities. Then, speak it out loud to someone—a friend, your team, or your family. Watch for reactions, and be real about your own nerves and hopes. Keep the goal visible, and remind yourselves often why it matters. Deal with setbacks as practice, not proof of limits. The real benefit is in what happens along the way: unity, excitement, and growth you never would have found in safe, quiet dreaming.