Moon shotTHE US SPACE PROGRAM was actually conceived in 1960 under Eisenhower, but John F Kennedy really launched it in a speech on May 25, 1961:

“… I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”

Having grown up during this time, the Space Race became a powerful foundation for how I viewed the world.

So what’s your business’ powerful foundation?

I’m not saying that your company has to be shaking the very structure of nations.  Chances are you’ve got a mission that’s just a bit more modest.

But the impact of your mission is magnified by how close it is to your employees and customers.  To me, the space program was always rather fantastical, similar to the many science fiction stories I was reading at the time.  I never met anyone directly involved with the program, and it wasn’t until decades later that I actually saw Cape Canaveral and the Smithsonian first-hand.

So it had to be incredibly huge and far-reaching in order to affect my life.  Other things which are closer – my church community, my friends, my business – are smaller in stature but actually have a larger impact on me.

What’s your company’s moon shot?

  • What’s going to sustain you for the next decade?
  • What’s going to align everyone’s actions?
  • How are you going to have a lasting impact on your corner of the world?

When you find it, you’ll be amazed at what your team is going to achieve!