Even little businesses need Big Hairy Audacious Goals

I’ve just finished compiling “How to get it all done as a business of ONE” and while I was doing it, it crossed my mind that I’d never really chatted on here about Big Hairy Audacious Goals. BHAG for short.

A traditional BHAG is a big goal, a VERY big goal and one that you hope to achieve in 10-15 years time. You probably won’t know how you’re going to actually reach your BHAG, but you definitely know what that BHAG looks like!

The most famous BHAG of all time is when President Kennedy said he wanted to put a man on the moon. It was at the beginning of the 1960s and he made this big statement that the USA would put a man on the moon by the end of that decade. It was a very bold goal. The space team (and JFK!) had no idea how they would actually do it. But they had a clear picture of what their goal looked like (it’s hard to be ambiguous about whether or not a man has landed on the moon!) and of course, they snuck in there and achieved the goal on 20 July 1969.

Now, when you run a solo or small business, you don’t need a BHAG that’s as out there as putting a man on the moon. Nor do you need one that extends as far into the future as 10-15 years. But it IS a good idea to have some sort of, say, 5 year BHAG.

Why?

Well a BHAG gives you something good and solid to aim at. And that’s super-important, because in the absence of a nice big goal we tend to kinda drift about. Each year being much the same as the year before.

And, look, I know I say this a LOT, but people who have goals – and work towards them -achieve more than those that don’t. Simple as that!

How to find your BHAG

So you want your BHAG to  be a goal that’s:

1. Something you REALLY (like, really) want to achieve from your business
2. Is a big stretch
3. Will take you about 5 years to reach
4. Is very clearly defined (so you know when you’ve reached it)

And that’s it!

Fun to think about, yes?!

Now what?

Now that you’ve got your BHAG you need to start working on it! And the best way to do THAT is to pick a (much smaller) goal to work on. Like a 100 Day Goal!

Did you know that 100 Days is the BEST time period for a goal. It’s long enough to achieve something significant but not sooo long that there’s no urgency to get going! There’s lots more info on the what and why of the 100 Day Goal here, but suffice to say, it’s much more doable to think in terms of 100 Days than it is five years!

So now you can think of your five year BHAG as just fifteen 100 Day Goals away! Doesn’t that make five years feel close?! 

Now all that’s left for you to do is to decide on your first 100 Day Goal and then get working on it! Ta-da!

Join us!

If you’d like to do your 100 Day Goal with us, we start again on 1 May! It’s free! Just go here, submit your details and you’ll get the 100 Day Goal Workbook, 100 Day Goal Worksheets, Daily emails and you can join our 100 Day Goal Facebook group TOO!

How to get it all done when you’re a business of ONE

Now if you’re wondering how you’re going to find time in your already busy schedule to work on your 100 Day Goal (and BHAG). I totally get that! I’ve been there and I’m through to the other side, but if you’re feeling way too busy and overwhelmed take a look at our”How to get it all done as a business of ONE” Guide. It will absolutely sort you out!

More details here PLUS you can get $10 off the Guide if you buy before Wed 4 May. Just use the code: Imgoingtodoabhag

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