Last month, what seemed like the entire world was enamored (and rightfully so!) by the bravery and technological feat of sending four human beings not just to the moon, but around it.

If you missed this event, or didn’t follow it closely, I’d highly recommend checking out the NASA Artemis II multimedia site. The photos are breathtaking.

As a business services firm that helps our clients set up the revenue and internal tech systems to “go for a moonshot,” it dawned on me that, thanks to the Artemis II crew (and all of the behind the scenes support staff, engineers, scientists, and everyone else who made it happen), we need to change this. We need to start going for the Jupiter Shot.

Why the Moonshot Metaphor Needs to Evolve

Why? Because they proved that flying around the moon can be done. They made the moonshot achievable, and in some respects, made it look easy. Now, I know it took them years and years of planning to achieve such a feat, but I think the images will be etched in our brains for a long time…and they made the moonshot feel way more plausible.

In this technologically advanced, yes, AI age, I’d argue that “achieving a moonshot” for a business has never been easier. AI enables a business to better automate pretty much every routine task. It enables a business to focus on more important strategic work. So I’d argue that in the AI age, we now need to push for something bigger, harder. We need to push for the Jupiter Shot.

The Moon, and even Mars, feel attainable, all thanks to the hard work of brave astronauts (and their teams) up until this time.

What the Jupiter Shot Means for Your Business

One of my favorite exercises to do with a client is to brainstorm and dream about what transformation would be needed from them, professionally, personally, internally among team members, externally with their customers, etc., in order to achieve 10x returns. In order to achieve the…Jupiter Shot.

Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy capture this beautifully in their book, 10x Is Easier Than 2x. Their framework is a fantastic way to map this out, because it forces the business to strip away the “non-essentials” and build a rocket ship BUILT to go big. Built for the…Jupiter Shot.

I think year-over-year growth metrics and annual sales comp plans can get a business in the bad habit of going each year for the “Cloud Shot.”

All the budget planning and strategic planning gets focused around building a rocket ship (which is really just a trimmed-down prop plane) to get up to the clouds. Getting to 10,000 feet. And while you could say this is the more prudent, wise approach…building a business for small returns leaves little to no room for error. Lose one of your big accounts, and all of a sudden it’s hard to get off the runway.

Often, when you get in the regular habit of building (and then maintaining) a business designed for Jupiter Shots, for 10x returns, business gets fun again. The stakes are raised, and your team knows every detail matters. I think the camaraderie and dedication of the NASA team (the astronauts, and all of the engineers, scientists, and support staff working behind the scenes) is one of the reasons we all get pulled into their journey. In every interview, you can see the team is working extremely hard, but they’ve built a work environment and a level of trust with one another where the work is rewarding and fun. That’s what working toward a big, audacious goal does.

How to Start Planning Your Jupiter Shot

I’d encourage you and your team to take a dedicated block of time and aim for the Jupiter Shot. Brainstorm, dream, and then map out what it would take to achieve it. What do you need to do much more of? What non-essentials to the business do you need to strip out? What seems next to impossible but would be worth the effort?

One day, Jupiter likely won’t feel like a stretch. And by going big, even if your business only makes it around Mars, chances are you’ll be pretty pleased with those returns. Enjoy the new views as you make your way around Mars and on toward Jupiter.