BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)

Biological Parallel

BHAGs are evolutionary moonshots—mutations or migrations that seem impossible but, if successful, transform fitness landscapes. The evolution of flight required birds to develop hollow bones, specialized muscles, feathers, and completely reorganized metabolism—a BHAG-level commitment spanning millions of years. Pacific salmon's spawning migration is a BHAG: swim thousands of miles upstream, reproduce once, die. The commitment is total, the risk is existential, and success creates competitive advantages rivals can't match. BHAGs work only when the payoff justifies the astronomical cost and risk.