Big Hairy Audacious Growth:
Why You Need a BHAG to Uplevel Your Life

Today, I'm boarding the Celebrity Eclipse for a 12-night Baltic cruise.

It's a Law of Attraction cruise hosted by Esther Hicks.​

Now, if you know me, you know I lean more pragmatic than poetic, more blue-collar than woo-woo.

But let me tell you how I got here...

Back in 2010, my wife handed me a book she thought I'd like. Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks.​

She's always expanding my horizons like that. I cracked it open out of love and curiosity, and I found myself intrigued. The book didn’t claim to be absolute truth; it invited me to try exercises, to experiment with the idea that I could manifest what I wanted in life.

So when she suggested we go on one of their workshop cruises, I was down. Mexico, sunshine, business write-off? Sign me up.

But once on board, the judgmental part of me kicked in. I scoffed at the "woo-woo" talk, rolled my eyes at participants, and went full small-minded skeptic.

It was a bust for me. My wife? She was disappointed. And honestly, I was too.

Then a few years later, she gifted me a birthday trip: Zurich, Florence, Venice, Rome, then a cruise to Istanbul, Athens, and Santorini.

A dream trip. But there was one catch: it was another Esther Hicks cruise.

I hesitated. But I said yes.

That trip changed everything.

Now it’s 2025, and I’m about to embark on my 16th cruise with this crew.

I've made lifelong friends.

And this time, I'm even considering pitching a martial arts-themed cruise to their team.

What changed? I set a BHAG: to become the kind of man who lives boldly, travels the world, and makes his living helping others become warriors, leaders, and badasses.

Let’s talk about BHAGs.

Dreaming and Living BIG!

A BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) is a term coined by Jim Collins in his book Built to Last.​

It refers to a bold, compelling, long-term goal that challenges and inspires.

The kind of goal that makes your stomach flip and your voice tremble when you say it out loud. It's a vision that forces you to grow.

And if you're a young man in your 20s or 30s, still trying to figure out who you are and what you want, setting a BHAG might be exactly what you need to start living a life on fire.

Here’s why:

1. BHAGs Break You Out of the Herd

Most people coast. They do what's expected. They look sideways at their peers, match their energy, and play the comparison game.

But BHAGs cut through all that.

When you set a BHAG, you're no longer competing with others.

You're competing with the future version of you.

You’re not trying to get ahead in the rat race—you’re trying to leave the maze entirely.

2. BHAGs Clarify Who You Need to Become

A BHAG isn’t just a destination; it’s a mirror.

When you commit to something big, you start to see the gap between who you are and who you need to be.

You’re forced to upgrade your habits, your identity, your circle.

Want to build a 7-figure business? Want to travel the world and be location independent? Want to lead a team or become an elite athlete?

That version of you won’t just happen.

BHAGs force growth.

3. BHAGs Reveal What Really Matters

You can’t do everything.

When you pick a big goal, you begin to see what’s essential and what’s a distraction.

You say no more often. You get serious.

You learn to prioritize energy, time, and attention.

And as you focus, you begin to taste mastery.

4. BHAGs Attract Allies

Big goals spark big conversations.

When you tell people you’re writing a book, starting a dojo, building a business, or planning a 12-country trip, you attract those who resonate.

You create gravity.

You build tribe.

The right people are drawn to boldness.

The wrong people get uncomfortable and drift away. That’s good. Let them go.

5. BHAGs Make You Dangerous (in a Good Way)

Dangerous not in the reckless sense, but in the sense that you become someone who has momentum.

You become someone who can’t be easily manipulated, distracted, or derailed.

You have purpose. You’re building something. You’re moving.

That’s a rare thing in today’s world.

Most are scrolling, not building. Consuming, not creating. Lost in comparison, not in motion.

How to Set Your Own BHAG

Setting a BHAG doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a simple 4-step process:

1. Start with the dream. If you could wave a magic wand and live the life you want in 5-10 years, what does that look like? Don’t filter it. Write it down.

2. Ask yourself: Who do I need to become? What kind of man lives that life? What skills, values, and habits does he embody?

3. Commit publicly. Tell someone. Post about it. Make it real. The more visible, the more pressure you put on yourself to step up.

4. Build backwards. Break the BHAG into chunks. What does this year look like? This quarter? This week? Today?

It’s not about intensity. It’s about consistency.

You don’t run a marathon in one day. But you can start with a 10-minute jog.

Examples of BHAGs to Inspire You:

• Launch a business that replaces your 9-to-5 in 3 years
• Earn your black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 7 years
• Write a book and self-publish it within 2 years
• Save $100k before 30
• Travel to 25 countries before you settle down
• Become the kind of man your future wife would be proud to partner with

The key?

It must stretch you.

It must challenge your identity. It must feel uncomfortable and exciting at the same time.

Because only then will it change you.

Putting It On the Mat

In 2010, I was the kind of guy who grumbled about the "woo-woo crowd," who rolled his eyes at visualization, vision boards, and spiritual workshops.

But something deeper in me was tired. Tired of being small. Tired of playing it safe. Tired of pretending I knew everything.

So I said yes. First to the book. Then the cruise. Then the bigger life.

Fast forward to today: I’m a retired 7-figure entrepreneur, a black belt, a world traveler, and someone who gets to spend every day helping others find their own version of power.​

That didn’t happen by accident.

It happened because I let go of the need to be right and leaned into the desire to grow.

And it happened because I set a BHAG: to become the kind of man I would have admired when I was younger.

So now, here’s your challenge.

This week, set your BHAG.

• Take a journal and write down your vision.
• Write out what scares you and excites you.
• Sketch the man you want to become.

Then take one small step today.

Say yes to the book your partner hands you. Say yes to the weird opportunity. Say yes to being uncomfortable.

That’s how it starts.

Because no one becomes a warrior by staying in the safety of the village. You become one by stepping into the unknown.

So I leave you with this:

Don’t be most men.

Be the man who sets the BHAG.

Be the man who scares himself a little.

Be the man who others look at and say, "Damn, he’s really doing it."

And if you want help setting that goal, breaking it down, and becoming the man who can achieve it, I’m here.​

It starts with one step. One rep. One yes.

Put it on the mat.

P.S. The first step, yes, even before jumping on a cruise, is controlling your time because if you can't control your time, you won't be able to make the time to take a cruise.

​Learn how to control your time here!​