Plan for Bold Aspirations
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy laid out a bold aspiration: send an American safely to the moon and return him to Earth before the end of the decade. It was an audacious promise, one that forced an entire nation to rethink what was possible and how quickly it was willing to act.
Yes, it was politically motivated. Yes, it was about catching and surpassing the Soviet Union. But more than anything, it was a commitment so clear and so public that people reorganized their entire way of working around it. Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo didn’t just happen. They were the result of a goal that left no room for half measures.
You may not be sending someone to the moon, but running a service business with real employees, real customers, and real risk takes its own kind of courage. As you begin planning for the year ahead, it’s worth asking whether you’re aiming for incremental improvement…or something bolder.
Kennedy explained exactly what it takes to achieve a bold aspiration:
“I believe we possess all the resources and talents necessary. But the facts of the matter are that we have never made the national decisions or marshaled the national resources required for such leadership. We have never specified long-range goals on an urgent time schedule, or managed our resources and our time so as to insure their fulfillment.”
Your shop likely already has the talent, equipment, and experience to do something exceptional. What’s usually missing isn’t capability, it’s commitment. Too often, we hesitate to make the decisions required to fully marshal our resources toward a single, demanding goal.
To do something extraordinary, you must specify a long-range goal and pair it with an urgent time schedule. That combination creates focus. Without it, even good teams drift.
Define your purpose: why it matters
“To win the battle … between freedom and tyranny.”
Kennedy made the purpose unmistakable. Everyone knew why the goal mattered.
Your team needs the same clarity. A bold aspiration without a reason behind it becomes just another number on a spreadsheet. Think in simple if–then terms:
If we achieve this, then we expect…
If we don’t achieve this, then we should be prepared for…
If the goal doesn’t change how people behave on a Tuesday afternoon in March, it’s not strong enough.
Set an aggressive goal tied to real objectives
“Landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”
There’s no ambiguity there. Be specific. Be focused. Ask yourself: what is the one thing that would most impact your success this year?
I once worked with a $275 million credit union serving roughly 30,000 members. Leadership set a bold goal of generating $100 million in new loans in a single year. The previous year had ended at $59 million. No one in the organization had ever seen a nine-figure loan year.
There were a few eye rolls when the number first went up on the whiteboard.
But once the goal was public and non-negotiable, behavior changed. Marketing sharpened. Lending sped up. Conversations shifted from “Can we?” to “What’s next?” It was aggressive. It was uncomfortable. And it was achievable.
Set a clear deadline
“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out.”
A deadline turns a nice idea into a shared problem that has to be solved. It creates urgency and gives the team something to rally around.
In the loan growth example, the credit union entered December slightly behind pace. But the timeline was clear, and the goal was still on the table. The team made a final push and finished the year at $105 million in new loans.
Deadlines matter.
How will you do it?
“We propose to accelerate the development of the appropriate lunar space craft. We propose to develop alternate liquid and solid fuel boosters… until certain which is superior… for one purpose which this nation will never overlook: the survival of the man who first makes this daring flight.”
This wasn’t a detailed task list. It was a high-level plan that made one thing clear: management would provide the resources necessary to succeed.
Your plan should do the same. Consider technology. Training. Staffing. New services. Take a hard look at your business model as if you were seeing it for the first time, through the lens of your bold aspiration.
If your plan doesn’t force you to rethink at least one sacred cow, you’re probably not aiming high enough.
Everyone is accountable
“New objectives and new money cannot solve these problems… unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman… gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward.”
You rarely luck your way into greatness. Bold aspirations require total commitment.
Even in a small operation, everyone owns a piece of the outcome: technicians, office staff, sales, and leadership. Clarity beats titles every time. Ask every part of your organization to define how they will contribute to the goal.
“All in” isn’t a slogan. It’s a standard.
No excuses
“If we are to go only half way, or reduce our sights in the face of difficulty, in my judgment it would be better not to go at all.”
This may be my favorite management quote of all time. Though Yoda captured the same idea more succinctly:
“Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
Goals this big will get uncomfortable. That’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong, it’s the point.
Don’t forget to…
Track performance with targets and timelines
On the journey toward your deadline, progress must be visible. During the loan growth initiative, we used old-school fundraising thermometers - the kind you color in as progress is made - and updated them monthly as we marched toward $100 million.
Break the big goal into smaller milestones so you always know where you stand. These mini-goals can (and should) differ by role or department.
Communicate progress relentlessly
In the spirit of a single-minded focus, your bold aspiration should show up in every meeting:
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Where are we in relation to the goal?
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What are we working on right now?
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What’s coming next?
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Are there hurdles in the way?
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Do we need to add or reallocate resources?
JFK’s bold promise set a course that ultimately led America to win the space race. Apollo 11 remains one of the highest achievements of human ingenuity, fueling advances in technology, pride, and national unity.
What will your bold aspiration change about your company?
What will it allow you to become known for in your community?
Those are worth answering before the year gets away from you.