In http://bit.ly/cvpSXq, the writer considers how Google believes in setting “impossible” goals each quarter and striving to reach them. “65% of the impossible is better than 100% of the ordinary.” This approach is very similar to the idea of a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” (BHAG).
We’ve written here before about the idea of the Plausible Promise: something specific, measurable, agreed-upon, realistic, and time-bound. So, does Google not deal in Plausible Promises?
Probably the key here is to consider what is ‘realistic.’ I think that in all actuality, Google’s “impossible goals” are actually quite realistic considering the scope of Google’s daring, brain-trust, and resources. For example, here are things Google is NOT doing (at least not yet):
- creating a mission to colonize the moon, Mars, or mine distant asteroids.
- creating a new political party.
- solving world peace.
- bringing the Good News of Christianity to the world.
These kinds of goals probably would be neither agreed-upon nor really realistic.
Google’s effort to “do the impossible,” however, really does point out something about the Plausible Promise: we should not necessarily settle for a promise that is plausible today if we just worked a little harder. We should be aiming for promises that are plausible in the future–say, 20 to 50 years down the road–if we work together to solve all the challenges between now and then.
A plausible promise is perfectly compatible with an “impossible” goal or a “big hairy audacious goal” (BHAG). And we should be making them. Are you? What’s your impossible goal?
