What’s your BHAG for 2021?
What’s your BHAG for 2021?
This was the question I posted on Facebook just after the first of the year—do you have a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal), what is it, and why?
And the answers I got surprised me.
The most surprising thing, however, was not the answers, but the people answering. I fully expected a slew of eager responses from members of my business networking group—the perpetually goal-setting, go-getting, “what gets measured, gets done” crowd. But apart from a handful of “Likes”, all I got from them was silence.
Instead, the people answering were the friends usually on the sidelines, quietly working on their own projects—a diverse group from their 20s to their 70s, ranging from accountants to administrators to poets. And while some were moonshots, most were grounded, realistic, and as varied as the people setting out to achieve them:
“Just got a kickass new job. I want to really lean in and be awesome at it.”
Copying 30 carousels of slides from grandparents to CD/DVD and “weight loss at a slow and steady pace.”
“Traveling across the USA on my motorcycle for 3.5 months!”
“Recording my original songs.”
“I’m shooting for enlightenment this year. Right after my vaccination.”
The only overarching theme tying all of these together was the desire to lean deeply into passions that were always there—whether it’s work, music, or motorcycles. For many, these goals reflect a yearning to restart projects that were sidelined by COVID-19 shutdowns or personal tragedies, and an opportunity to work towards happier days ahead.
And most importantly, they are personally meaningful—the primary reward for attaining these goals is not money or external validation, but a sense of satisfaction. After a year of focusing on mere survival, these friends are again in growth and creativity mode.
Among the other BHAGS on the minds of my friends were writing projects—some new, some that had been in the works for a while:
“Absolutely, totally finish my book!”
“Book and podcast coming soon!”
“I must write the next book in my mystery series.”
“I want to finish a new novel and a new screenplay, both already in progress.”
Of course, this isn’t a representative sample of humanity at large—because I’m a writer, a lot of my friends are writers too, and they know what it takes to finish a novel or a large, research-driven work of non-fiction: the will to do it, the discipline and organization to keep the project moving, the confidence to keep going when roadblocks appear, and the objectivity and humility to know when to pivot or redirect a project if it’s not turning out as planned—in short, the same skills and mindsets needed to fulfill any major goal.
But not everyone responding to my post shared a BHAG—or was interested in pursuing one. One friend took a radically different approach:
“I can’t do BHAGs. They make me anxious. Instead, I have to go the opposite direction and come up with a lot of SAAGs (small, achievable, attainable goals) that help me reinforce success and build momentum.”
This friend, too, is a writer, and she captured an essential truth—to get big things done, you need to get the little things right—like giving yourself a quiet and comfortable place to work, staying healthy, and giving yourself time each day for creative pursuits, however you define them.
So what’s the takeaway from my unscientific survey of 2021 goals? If the responses I got are any indication, 2021 is shaping up to be a year of reconnection and creativity. Projects kept on the back burner last year will be revived. And after seeing the fragility of life made clear by COVID, some will realize there’s no time like the present to bring their dream projects to fruition.
So what are your big plans for the year, if you have any? If writing a book is on your bucket list, my last blog post has some practical tips for getting started and staying on track. If you have more questions, contact me—I’m always happy to help!