Find Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal

BHAG -- it is actually a word.

And I think it should actually be pronounced as such, not as the stupid "bee-aitch-ay-gee." It's BHAG, which sounds a lot like CTHULHU.

The term Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal was coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. They meant companies, but I believe people should also have their BHAGs.

What is a BHAG? This is not something you're planning to achieve tomorrow, or even next year. Your BHAG is big and hairy for a reason -- it is very, very far beyond your current capabilities. It's not your plan -- it's your compass.

Want an example? Maybe you want to be a principal engineer at Google -- one day, you'll be architecting the next generation of their search engine. And today? You are a second-year CS student.

That's your BHAG, the big, hairy goal that looks at you from the future. And the future you, maybe 20 years older than you are now, is standing there with the BHAG, waving.

And here is the thing -- your BHAG must be yours. The biggest mistake is taking someone else's dream and pretending that's what you want.

Like that Google job... I don't want it! Do you want it? Or maybe your BHAG is something else? In Tip 200, I gave you an exercise that can get you closer to knowing your goal -- the one that will guide you when you're lost, and will give you strength when you're just about to give up.

Then -- it's up to you. Go find out who's waving!