Creating an Impossible Goal

The Power of Aiming Beyond Reasonable Limits

We've all heard about setting SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This conventional wisdom has guided goal-setting practices for decades. But what if the "A" for "Achievable" is actually holding us back? What if the secret to extraordinary accomplishment lies in pursuing what seems impossible?

The Impossible Goal Concept

Author and psychologist Benjamin Hardy champions a revolutionary approach to goal-setting: make your goals so ambitious that they seem impossible. By aiming for targets far beyond what you believe you can reach, you create a psychological and practical framework that transforms your capabilities.

The impossible goal isn't about setting yourself up for failure. Rather, it's about expanding your vision so dramatically that even falling short leads to achievements that would have been unimaginable under conventional goal-setting approaches.

Why Impossible Goals Work

1. They Break Your Identity Ceiling

Most of us set goals based on our current identity—who we believe we are and what we believe we're capable of. Impossible goals force you to shed these limitations. When you commit to something that requires becoming a completely different person, you begin the work of identity transformation.

As Hardy notes, the person who can achieve your impossible goal isn't you—it's the future version of yourself who has developed entirely new capabilities, mindsets, and resources.

2. They Demand Creative Problem-Solving

Reasonable goals can often be achieved through known methods and incremental improvements. Impossible goals, however, require radical innovation and creativity. When the target is so distant that conventional approaches won't work, you're forced to discover or invent entirely new paths forward.

This triggers what psychologists call "productive struggle"—the mental state where your brain is actively forming new neural connections and developing expanded capabilities.

3. They Attract Resources and Support

There's something magnetically compelling about someone pursuing an impossible dream with absolute conviction. These audacious goals tend to attract mentors, collaborators, investors, and other resources that reasonable goals simply don't.

People want to be part of something extraordinary, and impossible goals create the opportunity for that kind of meaningful contribution and association.

4. They Generate Momentum Through Massive Action

Impossible goals cannot be achieved through incremental effort. They demand massive action—bold, consistent moves that create significant forward momentum. This scale of action generates results, learning, and opportunities at an accelerated rate compared to modest efforts toward modest goals.

How to Set Your Impossible Goal

1. Identify What Truly Inspires You

Your impossible goal should excite you deeply. It shouldn't just be impressive to others—it should resonate with your core values and most profound aspirations. Ask yourself: "If I knew I couldn't fail, what would I attempt?" or "What achievement would make the rest of my life feel like a worthwhile setup for this accomplishment?"

2. Make It Specific and Measurable

While your goal should be impossible by current standards, it still needs clarity. Define exactly what success looks like, including specific metrics and timeframes. This precision transforms an inspiring but vague vision into a concrete target that can guide decision-making.

3. Connect It to Purpose Beyond Yourself

The most powerful impossible goals serve something greater than personal achievement. How will accomplishing your goal improve others' lives or contribute to a cause you care about? This connection to purpose provides additional motivation during the inevitable challenges.

4. Design Your Environment for Success

Your physical and social environments powerfully shape your behavior. Restructure your surroundings to support your impossible goal—whether that means creating a dedicated workspace, surrounding yourself with like-minded ambitious individuals, or eliminating distractions that drain your focus and energy.

5. Commit Publicly

Public commitment creates accountability and makes backing down more difficult. Share your impossible goal with those whose opinion you value. This external pressure can provide essential motivation during periods when your internal drive might waver.

Learning from "Impossible" Success Stories

History abounds with examples of "impossible" achievements that transformed industries and lives:

Elon Musk didn't just set out to build another car company—he aimed to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy through electric vehicles when experts declared it impossible. Even as Tesla repeatedly neared bankruptcy, this impossible goal attracted talent, investment, and customer loyalty that ultimately revolutionized the automotive industry.

Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile when medical experts believed the human body was physically incapable of such performance. Within 46 days of Bannister's "impossible" achievement, another runner also broke the barrier, and within three years, 16 other runners had done the same. The impossible quickly became possible once the mental barrier was shattered.

J.K. Rowling envisioned an entire seven-book series while living as a struggling single mother on government assistance. The scope of her literary ambition seemed impossible given her circumstances, yet her commitment to this vision eventually created one of the most successful literary franchises in history.

Embracing Productive Failure

The pursuit of impossible goals guarantees one thing: you will face failure. But these failures become essential data points and growth opportunities rather than evidence of limitation.

When you reframe failure as a necessary component of the journey toward an impossible goal, each setback becomes a valuable teacher rather than a reason to abandon your vision. The question shifts from "Will I fail?" to "What will I learn from this failure that brings me closer to my goal?"

The Transformative Journey

Ultimately, the most profound value of an impossible goal isn't in its achievement but in who you become through its pursuit. The expanded capabilities, strengthened character, and broadened perspective you develop along the way transform every aspect of your life.

Even if you never fully reach your impossible goal, the person you become in its pursuit will accomplish things that your former self would have found remarkable. By aiming so high that hitting lower still represents extraordinary achievement, you escape the gravitational pull of mediocrity.

Your Impossible Challenge

What would you attempt if you knew beyond doubt that the attempt itself—regardless of outcome—would transform you into someone stronger, more capable, and more fulfilled?

That's your impossible goal. Define it. Commit to it. And begin the journey that will expand your life beyond what you currently believe possible.

The question isn't whether you'll achieve everything you set out to accomplish. The question is: who will you become by daring to pursue what seems impossible today?