Why Ordinary Goals Hold You Back More Than Big, Scary Ones

You sit in your kitchen on a rainy Sunday, scrolling through social media and feeling stuck. Everything seems normal, maybe even fine, but a nagging thought pokes at you: when was the last time you aimed for something so ambitious it made people around you raise their eyebrows? That’s when the phrase 'a healthy disregard for the impossible' starts to buzz in your mind. You remember hearing stories of students who built massive Lego towers or coded entire websites—not because they were told to, but because no one told them it was foolish.

You jot down a goal that feels audacious, scribbling it next to your grocery list: 'Publish a podcast with listeners in five countries.' The world outside is gray but your heart jumps. The next steps aren’t obvious, but you treat each barrier as an intellectual puzzle. Recording gear? Borrowed from a cousin. Outreach? Ask classmates if they know anyone living abroad. Success isn’t certain, but moving forward feels exhilarating, every step slightly outside comfort but strangely addictive.

As days pass, the doubts bubble up—what if people laugh, what if you fail? One afternoon, you mention your goal in a group chat. There’s teasing, yes, but also one message: 'I know someone in Germany who loves podcasts.' Suddenly, it’s not so far-fetched. You notice your focus sharpens, your days organized around small, meaningful risks. The failures sting, but each mishap becomes data, not a verdict.

Behavioral research calls this the 'stretch goal effect'—when pressure and play meet, forcing our brains to problem-solve creatively rather than defensively. Setting a goal so big it teeters on the edge of plausible often spurs more persistence, more learning, and—paradoxically—better results than playing it safe.

Think about something you've always thought was too big or bold—a challenge that makes people cringe or laugh. Instead of brushing it off, write it down. Break it into chunks, see obstacles as puzzles, and don’t keep this dream secret—share it with a friend or a group. Once a week, make a move that feels daunting, even if it’s just a shaky phone call or a clumsy first attempt. The point isn’t to guarantee success, but to get comfortable aiming higher, slipping past old limits, and collecting the data and allies who appear once you step beyond the expected. You might surprise yourself.