Back in 1961, United States President John F. Kennedy said, “I believe 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.”

Pretty bold goal right?

As leaders, sometimes we are charged with pulling off some pretty bold goals. Oftentimes, they seem impossible.

In looking at some of the most accomplished leaders, here are the 4 common keys they have in pulling off their bold goals.

Vision – Bold goals require a bold vision. When President Kennedy spoke in plain terms of his bold vision, it was clear and unmistakable. The vision needs to inspire those we ask to serve it.

Connect – Then there is the team. We want their support for the goal; however, as leaders, we are charged with helping our team, friends and supporters to understand how their contribution will serve the vision. Once people understand how their contributions matter, it is easier for them to see how important they are to the goal.

Align Resources – I have come across companies who state in their vision that they are focused on serving customers and yet their service hours have been reduced or their order fulfillment team has been cut. Then there is the entrepreneur who is looking to start a business and yet they don’t align their time resources to keep themselves on a trajectory of growth. Aligning our resources to our vision is key. No resources, no vision. As leaders, we must strategically align our resources to ensure they are serving our target.

Persistent Focus –  Sticking with it until it is accomplished is the great separator. Those who persist, the ones who are willing to plow through obstacles, those leaders and teams that are willing to remain attached to the target and unattached to how we reach the target, are the ones that win. Persistence is a key attribute of every successful leader and those who have persistent focus are the ones that win.

Look at the goals you might have recently missed just long enough to diagnose which of these 4 keys you might have missed, then connect with your inner circle to see how you can take that learning into your next bold goal.

I covered this in a recent podcast, listen in via iTunes