“When the future feels unpredictable, what kind of goal is bold enough to bring it into focus?”

The Disruption Dilemma

We’re leading in an age where algorithms forecast markets, crises unfold overnight, and every industry is being rewritten in real time. The instinctive response to disruption is often control—tightening structures, protecting turf, waiting for calm. But in truth, disruption is the new constant.

What if, instead of defending against it, we designed goals that thrive within it? That’s where the BHAG—the Big Hairy Audacious Goal—enters. Coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in Built to Last, a BHAG stretches imagination, ignites commitment, and reorients fear into focus.

The Power of Purposeful Audacity

A true BHAG isn’t just ambitious—it’s anchored in why. It galvanizes people because it speaks to the human spirit, not just the bottom line.

When I facilitated a multi-agency partnering session during a volatile project year, tensions were high—budget cuts, regulatory hurdles, labor shortages. Teams were losing faith in the mission. Together, we reframed the situation into a BHAG:

“To deliver the most collaborative project in the state’s history—one that redefines trust in public infrastructure.”

That single sentence shifted everything. Collaboration replaced competition, and the project finished not only ahead of schedule but with relationships strengthened across organizations that had once clashed.

Lesson: The audacity of a goal can transform chaos into cohesion when it’s fueled by shared purpose.

From Control to Co-Creation

Disruption exposes the limits of traditional management. BHAGs invite collective intelligence. They ask not “Who’s in charge?” but “Who can contribute?”

At Planetary Citizens, our organizational BHAG isn’t about metrics—it’s about momentum:

“To activate global citizenship by aligning human systems with planetary harmony.”

It’s vast, yes—even idealistic. But it draws innovators, educators, and changemakers into one conversation. That’s the magic of a BHAG: it magnetizes collaboration.

Lesson: The bigger the vision, the more it demands cooperation—and the more inclusive it becomes.

Designing a BHAG in a VUCA World

Here’s a framework leaders can apply immediately:

1. 
   

   Anchor in Purpose – Why does this matter beyond profit or policy?

   
   


2. 
   

   Paint a Vivid Future – Describe success so clearly people can feel it.

   
   


3. 
   

   Stretch but Stay Authentic – Impossible goals repel; improbable ones inspire.

   
   


4. 
   

   Empower the Collective – Let the how emerge from shared ownership.

   
   


5. 
   

   Align with Evolution – BHAGs must serve humanity’s next step, not just an organization’s.

   
   

A well-designed BHAG becomes a compass in turbulence. It transforms “reactive strategy” into “creative evolution.”

Fear vs. Foresight

Most organizations avoid BHAGs because they fear failure. Yet history shows that every major leap—civil rights, renewable energy, space exploration—began as an audacious dream that defied conventional metrics.

The difference between fear and foresight is perspective. Fear asks, “What if it doesn’t work?” Foresight asks, “What if it does—and what might that change for all of us?”

A Conscious Call to Courage

As leaders, coaches, and creators, we stand at a unique inflection point. The tools of technology have never been more powerful, but neither has the need for purpose. BHAGs unite the two—giving technology a direction and humanity a reason.

Your next great leap won’t come from incremental improvement; it will come from a goal that feels just beyond your reach, yet completely aligned with your heart.

“Audacity, when rooted in integrity, becomes architecture for evolution.”

Call to Action

If your organization—or your own journey—feels stuck in maintenance mode, it may be time for a BHAG. Ask yourself:

“What goal would call forth the very best in me—and in those I lead?”

That’s where transformation begins.

Explore frameworks for conscious goal-setting and visionary leadership at BeTheDream.com or connect through PlanetaryCitizens.net to co-create the future we know is possible.

By Zen Benefiel

Keywords: Coaching, Leadership, Transformation

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