In Brief: Essential Insights for Post-Military Transition
15 May 2023 · 4 min
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In this solo segment of the In Brief podcast, Jordana Megonigal, CEO of the Recon Network, explains the concept of a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) to transitioning military personnel. She defines BHAGs as large, stretch goals originally coined by Collins and Porras, emphasizes their 10‑year horizon and realistic yet challenging nature, and argues that such goals serve as psychological fuel, pushing individuals out of short‑term comfort zones into growth. Jordana highlights the discomfort inherent in pursuing BHAGs but frames it as essential for personal development and inspiration. She concludes with a direct challenge for listeners to identify and commit to their own BHAG, whether it’s starting a business, completing an ultra‑marathon, or hiking the Appalachian Trail, encouraging them to embrace audacity and use it as motivation during their transition.
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This is In Brief. Let's get to it. Hey there. Good morning and welcome back to the In Brief podcast. Each week we take a few minutes, we dive into topics that make hopefully your military transition a little bit easier. and gives you a new perspective to take into a new week. I'm Jordana, I'm the CEO of the Recon Network, and this week we're talking about big, hairy, audacious goals. Have you ever heard of a BHAG? If you haven't, the name might seem odd. My kids say it sounds like some sort of monster, but in reality, it's a term used in the corporate world quite a bit, and you may hear it from time to time. BHAG, the acronym B-H-A-G, stands for Big Hairy Audacious Goal. It's a term coined by authors Collins and Porras in their book Built to Last, and in essence, it's a goal that is so big and so seemingly impossible that by nature it rallies you to complete it. There are these colossal dreams that make your heart race, your palms sweat, and your imagination go wild. They're the dreams that seem impossible at first, But once they're achieved, they leave you feeling like a champion. They're just beyond the horizon of what is practical. So a BHAG isn't a goal like going from a couch potato to a 5K. Instead, it would be like going from the couch to an ultra marathon in the mountains. They're possible, but you're going to have to make big changes or do incredible things just to get there. Now, according to Collins, BHAGs are designed to get you out of short-term thinking into a position of thinking in large scale. For that reason, they should be about 10 years out. They should have a reasonable chance at success, meaning they shouldn't be impossible. But why should you, as just a normal everyday human, even bother with a big, hairy, audacious goal? Seems like a lot of work, doesn't it? Well, the reason is simple. BHAGs are fuel for the human psyche. They challenge us in our humanness to stretch as individuals and step up to the challenge in front of us. They get us out of our comfort zones and they allow us to surprise ourselves with what we're capable of. Are they uncomfortable? Absolutely. Facing down something that you can do but isn't going to be easy is naturally uncomfortable. But remember, comfort doesn't get you anywhere. It's human nature to stay where things are safe and comfortable because you stay, well, safe and comfortable. But you don't grow there. You don't inspire others there. So remember, BHAGs aren't just for dreamers, they're for everyone, including you. So here's my challenge to you this week. Take a moment to develop your own BHAG. Think about what that really means. What is the thing just beyond reason that seems almost impossible, but you think you might be able to do it? Embrace that audacity, that discomfort, and let it ignite something inside of you. It doesn't matter where you're at in life. There's something big that's calling you if you're willing to listen. So go start a business, hike the Appalachian Trail. Whatever you do, dream big and give yourself the room to fill up that space.
