Say it like this
- Our moonshot this year is fully automated testing.
- It's a bit of a moonshot, but worth exploring.
- Let's keep two safe goals and one moonshot.
Use it at work
Setting goals
- Let's add one moonshot.
- Our moonshot is...
Doubting gently
- That feels like a moonshot for this quarter.
- Love it, but it's a moonshot.
Encouraging ambition
- What would the moonshot version look like?
- Let's think 10x, not 10%.
Don't say this
A moonshot is huge and risky. Small tasks are quick wins.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| moonshot | huge, risky, high-impact goal | tech and strategy | long-term bets |
| stretch goal | hard but realistic target | managers | quarterly goals |
| north star | the main long-term direction | product teams | strategy |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Which goal sounds most like a moonshot?
2. Halving our cloud bill in one month is a bit of a _______, but let's try.
3. Which sentence uses 'moonshot' correctly?
4. Rewrite with 'moonshot': 'Our most ambitious and risky goal is to launch in ten countries this year.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Our moonshot this year is fully automated testing."
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More about moonshot
Real examples(3)
- in quarterly planning
"Committed goal: 20% faster builds. Moonshot: builds under one minute."
- in a strategy offsite
"Our moonshot is to make onboarding fully self-serve within a year."
- politely doubting an idea
"Real-time translation for every call is a moonshot for a team of three."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. "That's a moonshot" can mean "great ambition" or "this won't happen". Check the tone.
- ✕We moonshot the project.✓We're treating this project as a moonshot.
Moonshot is a noun (sometimes an adjective), not a verb.
- ✕A moon shot goal✓a moonshot goal
It is usually written as one word in business.
Other forms(2)
- moonshot goal adjective use
"Each team has one moonshot goal."
- moonshots plural
"Google X is known for moonshots."
Often used with(3)
- moonshot goal · a very ambitious target
- a bit of a moonshot · politely saying it's unlikely
- moonshot project · a bold, risky project
Similar words(3)
- stretch goal · ambitious but more realistic
- big bet · risky strategic choice
- BHAG · big hairy audacious goal
Opposites(3)
- quick win
- low-hanging fruit
- safe bet
Questions(4)
- What does moonshot mean in business?
- A very ambitious, risky project or goal that would have a huge impact if it succeeded.
- Where does moonshot come from?
- From the US Apollo program, which landed people on the Moon in 1969.
- What is the difference between a moonshot and a stretch goal?
- A stretch goal is hard but realistic. A moonshot is much bigger and more likely to fail.
- Is calling something a moonshot negative?
- It can be either. It can praise ambition, or politely suggest an idea is unrealistic.
