What’s the One Big Hairy Thing you're Hunting in 2026?

by James Smith, Executive Director

The goal that defines your year—and demands your best

Every year, I ask people to set goals. (Only 3% of Americans have written goals so if you write down something you're in the top 3%!)

Every year, most people do the same thing:

• Nothing

• A few reasonable goals

• A handful of safe improvements

• Some things they’re “pretty sure” they can accomplish

There’s nothing wrong with that… but it’s also not what changes a year.

In my Jumpstart 2026 yearly planning class, I talk about something different. Something bolder. Something a little uncomfortable.

I call it your One Big Hairy Thing.

Think Hunting Bigfoot, Not To-Do List

Your One Big Hairy Thing is not a task. It’s not a resolution. It’s not something you can knock out between meetings.

It’s more like hunting Bigfoot.

You may not know exactly how you’ll do it. You’ll need new skills. You’ll need help. You’ll probably fail a few times along the way. And yes—it’s going to take everything you’ve got.

But if you pull it off?

It defines your year.

Jesse Itzler calls this kind of goal a Misogi—a bold, seemingly unreasonable challenge that forces you to grow into a different version of yourself just to have a shot at achieving it. Jim Collins (author of Good to Great) calls it a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).

Whatever you call it, BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS MISOGI... Big the point.

What Makes a Goal “Big and Hairy”?

Your One Big Hairy Thing for 2026 should meet a few criteria:

• It excites you and scares you at the same time

• You can’t achieve it by doing more of the same

• It will require growth, discipline, and courage

• If you accomplish it, everything else improves

This is the goal that changes how you see yourself.

Not because it was easy.But because you rose to meet it.

Examples (Not Prescriptions)

Your One Big Hairy Thing could be:

• Launching a new business or major expansion

• Writing a book, launching a course, or stepping into public speaking

• Making a major health transformation

• Leading a bold community initiative

• Hitting a revenue milestone you’ve never reached

• Stepping into a leadership role you’ve been avoiding

The specifics don’t matter nearly as much as this question:

If I pulled this off… who would I have to become?

That’s where the real work begins.

This Isn’t About Luck—It’s About Commitment

Here’s the key differences between people who dream big and people who do big things:

1. They don’t wait until they feel ready.

2. They decide. They commit.

3. They build systems.

4. They show up when motivation fades. They keep going when progress is slow.

Your One Big Hairy Thing isn’t achieved in one heroic moment. It’s achieved in hundreds of ordinary days where you choose discipline over comfort.

Let It Guide Your Year

Once you name your One Big Hairy Thing, it becomes a filter:

• Does this opportunity move me closer to it?

• Does this commitment distract me from it?

• Does this habit support the kind of person I need to be?

Smaller goals still matter—but they serve the bigger one.

Your workouts, your planning time, your learning, your networking, your daily priorities—all of it starts to line up.

That’s how momentum is created.

Your Challenge for 2026

Don’t just ask, “What do I want to do this year?” Ask:

“What’s the One Big Hairy Thing that would make 2026 unforgettable?”

Write it down. Say it out loud. Share it with someone who will hold you accountable.

Then start building your year around it.

Because safe goals make comfortable years. Big, hairy goals make defining ones.

So… what’s yours?

And more importantly—

Are you willing to go get it?