Today, I am thankful for those who set clear, ambitious goals that propel the world forward.
In my job, one of my responsibilities is to ensure that all project teams set clear, measurable objectives for the coming year. As we can often get lost in a sea of objectives, I request that teams establish a clear set of 5-7 goals that must be met in the coming year to ensure their ultimate success. We call these ‘team priorities’. Whether at work, at home, or in a community, setting realistic, but demanding goals helps a group of diverse individuals to align on a focused mission. Today is an excellent day to reflect on the power of ‘charting a course’ towards success, as a historical event that transpired on this day serves as a fitting reminder.
In the early 1960s, in the midst of the Cold War, the United States found itself in a compromising position. The former Soviet Union had already launched a rocket into space with Sputnik in 1957. Even worse, on April 12, 1961, a cosmonaut named Yuri Gagarin was the first human to enter space and orbit the Earth. The US, as the only other true superpower in the world, felt compelled to join this ‘space race.’ So, on the heels of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, John F. Kennedy called a special joint session of Congress together on this day (May 25) in 1961 to discuss his ambitious goal: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth…But, in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the moon. If we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be an entire nation, for all of us must work to put him there.” In essence, JFK laid down the gauntlet by setting an ambitious goal. He would go on to exclaim in that same speech that an endless amount of careful deliberation, planning, and preparation was needed by Congress, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and all Americans, if we were to choose to complete this daunting task: “The Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment….because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the US take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.”
JFK’s speech is an excellent example of goal setting. As noted above, he set a clear goal. He set a defined timeframe. He articulated that this objective is a voluntary commitment, noting that if the nation was willing to accept the celestial mission, they would need to own the burden and cost of this endeavor. His goal was also based in some reality; much of JFK’s zestful yearning was boosted by the expanding understanding of aviation science in the early 1960s, (including advances in rocket technology, astrophysics, and computerized electronics), while some of it naturally appealed to national pride. In essence, he set a clear priority that would invoke inspiration, while also recognizing it will require appreciable effort. He also acknowledged it might even fail.
At the end of the day, the US did successfully travel to and the from the moon’s surface with the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. An army of dedicated engineers, scientists, and support staff at NASA headquarters and the private sector brought the mission to fruition. Sure, as expected, the final journey to the Moon had its share of setbacks. Thirteen different Pioneer and Ranger missions had failed before NASA successfully learned how to direct something to the Moon’s surface using a hard landing, and 2 Surveyor missions also experienced failures before NASA would perfect a soft landing on the Moon. Three individuals even lost their lives. But, in the end, the goal was achieved.
The souvenirs from that trip included 50 rocks, some samples of fine-grained lunar surface, and a boatload of pride for the human race.
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