Big Hairy Audacious Goal

bhag1

Don’t you think it’s funny how you find inspiration in the most unlikely places? I recently had to attend a workshop on business strategy, and whilst it was all quite interesting, one bit in particular really captured my imagination – I was introduced to the concept of the ‘Big Hairy Audacious Goal’. Apparently the phrase has been kicking around in the business world for ages, and it’s all about creating a clear and compelling goal which serves as a focal point, no matter how unrealistic it might actually be – kind of a cheeky knacker statement of intent.

How I have existed in business up to now without crossing the path of a BHAG I don’t know, but now the cat’s out of the bag I’m all over it…I am busy working on my very own big hairy audacious skinny goal. To be fair, many of my goals over the years have been pretty bloody audacious, long before I discovered that someone had coined this phrase so whilst I can’t claim the idea as my own, I’m certainly going to say I’m a natural when it comes to shooting for the moon.

For example, I might say that my BHAG is to walk into Victoria Beckham’s boutique this time next year, only for the sales lady to shake her head sadly and apologise that all their dresses were too big for me. *Falls on the floor laughing* – well it’s definitely audacious, given that right now I’d more likely be wrestled to the floor by a gaggle of skinny string beans before I’d even crossed the threshold…God forbid that I actually make it inside and dare to be fat amongst the skinniness of it all.

How about this one then…I could say my BHAG is to stick to my food plan and point every single thing I eat and drink for the rest of my life. Hells teeth that’s a scary thought. That’s a more scary thought than the Victoria Beckham one to be honest, because it’s a BHAG that is completely within my gift.  I could actually do that one. Well, when I say I could do that one, I mean it’s do-able. I’ll have to park this one for a minute, I’m developing a nervous twitch. Lets go back to Victoria Beckham, it’s easier to be flippant when I’m talking about that one.

Can you imagine…I mean don’t get me wrong – I love Victoria Beckham, love her family, love her work ethic and I even like some of her clothes. But can you imagine the horror on her face if she had to design a dress to flatter a non-string beany kind of girl? I mean I fully intend to be skinny as well you know, but even when I am I’ll still have to tuck my belly into my big girl pants and disguise my bingo wings, my wrinkly knees and my turkey neck. Just the thought of all that fabric would drive her to go and have a lie down with a glass of extra strength coconut water.

Much as I hate to say it, and much as it scares me, I think my BHAG has to be number two. The one that scares me shitless. Would it stop this cycle of yo-yo madness that I’ve been on for at least the last thirty years..? Yes. It would. Am I likely to lose the will to live, get bored weighing and measuring and counting for the rest of my days..? Yes, I am. Till I scream. Do I have to face facts and realise that if I don’t plan for this, commit to it and JFDI I’m going to live out the rest of my days on that ever changing axis..? Yes.

Number two it is then.  Posse, meet my BHAG…

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6 thoughts on “Big Hairy Audacious Goal

  1. Victoria Beckham is as much in the grip of food as you or I. She fears food too, in her chosen lifestyle she believes being thin is everything. She may be successful but I think it’s come at a price which ultimately will be her health. She follows the most bizarre eating plans, at some point her lack of proper food will have an effect. She may not care if she’s 70 or 80 of course but in my mind your later years are just as important because it’s then when your children have flown the nest that you find yourself looking in the mirror and having to answer some difficult questions, the chief one being, “what do I do now”. If your body is malnourished and your health is failing because of all the abuse then you’re going to be in a pretty sad place.

  2. I am in love with that little green guy! Your BHAG is EXACTLY mine – and it IS SO SCARY!

    Because I am done feeling like this. I’m done looking like this. I’m done being worried about my health and feeling out of control.

    And it’s scary because I’m really committed this time – I will be paying WW money every single month forever. Because I need the accountability, and I am not able to make good choices without counting every single point . . . sigh

    Because then when will I eat all the stuff? oh right – I can eat whatever I have points to eat.

    And if I mess up for a meal? Or a day? Then I’ll just start again the next.

    Forcing those two ideas into one life is the only way I’ll ever make this work . . .

  3. But you don’t have to do it for the rest of your life, as the 12-Steppers would say. You only have to commit to do it today. When you next wake up, that’s the today you have to commit to.

    Thinking of it for the rest of your life is scary, so commit just for one day at a time. It’s still a BHAG, even one day at a time. Thank Heaven, too, it’s enough.

    1. I’m just playing with a post around one day at a time. You might be right, although personally I think the two things are a bit different – I’ll try and articulate why when I’ve pulled my thoughts into some semblance of order! D x

  4. Truth be told, I was a very strong fat woman until I started logging everything I ate. I was losing weight slowly …. I mean super slowly… but it wasn’t until I started tracking my calories and macros (carbs, protein, fat) that I actually started to see a difference in both my weight loss AND my physique. A year ago, after 10 months, I had gone from a size 18 to a size 16. That was progress, but slow. After I decided to listen to advice and started keeping track of my food, I started to lose weight and I lost it fast. I’ve lost a total of 85 lbs. I’m not really trying to lose weight anymore, but I promise it works. That said, I do LOVE the BAHG idea. Never called it that before, but it for sure aligns with what I tell people all the time. What do you want to accomplish? How are you going to get there? What benchmarks can you set to measure your progress towards that BAHG? That’s awesome motivation!!

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