OKR – Aspirational (Moonshot) vs. Committed (Rooftop)

Why should your company emphasize on setting aspirational goals in your OKR practice and not committed goals? Organizations set strategic goals to achieve their targets. In the OKR best practice, there are 2 types of goals:  

1. Committed goals  sometimes called rooftop goals 
2. Aspirational goals sometimes called moonshot goals

Let’s look at each and understand aspirational vs. committed OKRs.

Aspirational vs. Committed OKRs

Committed or Rooftop Goals

Committed Goals, often referred to as Rooftop Goals, are the objectives your organization is dedicated to achieving within a specific timeframe. These goals are typically based on historical data, with clear metrics and KPIs to measure success. They are realistic, attainable, and form the foundation of your company’s operational plans.

Characteristics of Committed Goals:

• Predictable Outcomes: Based on past performance, providing a clear roadmap.
• Short to Medium-Term Focus: Aligned with monthly, quarterly, or annual plans.
• Clear Accountability: Teams know what’s expected and are responsible for delivering results.

Aspirational or Moonshot Goals

Aspirational Goals, also known as Moonshot Goals, are ambitious objectives that push your organization beyond its current capabilities. These goals encourage innovation, creative thinking, and a willingness to explore uncharted territories. While they may seem challenging, they are designed to inspire teams to strive for extraordinary achievements.

Characteristics of Aspirational Goals:

• Innovative and Bold: Encourage teams to think creatively and challenge the status quo.
• Long-Term Vision: Focus on transformative outcomes that may take multiple cycles to achieve.
• Encourage Risk-Taking: Promote a culture where calculated risks are embraced in pursuit of significant rewards.

Should I Set a Goal That Is Unrealistically High?

Studies have shown that if you set an extremely difficult goal, people will feel discouraged and give up.

Think of it like lifting weights. If you can bench press 100 lbs today and want to reach 200 lbs, you wouldn’t add 100 lbs immediately. Instead, you’d increase the weight gradually—maybe 10 lbs at a time—until you reach your target.

The same principle applies to strategic goal setting.

By setting challenging but achievable goals, your teams will be motivated to think creatively, feel inspired, and push beyond their limits.

Research on goal setting in workplaces, especially from Edwin Locke and Gary Latham’s “Goal Setting Theory,” shows clear patterns. Setting specific, challenging, and measurable goals helps employees perform better and stay motivated. When employees take part in setting these goals, they become more productive and satisfied with their jobs.

Example: Aspirational vs. Committed Goals

Your company currently has a sales target of $200,000 per month per salesperson. This is a committed goal because it is based on past performance.

If you want to push your team to achieve more, should you set:

1. A) A target of $600,000 (300% increase over the committed goal)
   B) A target of $240,000 (20% increase over the committed goal)

Answer: You should set a target of $240,000.

How to Achieve Aspirational Goals

Some creative ways to drive improvement include:

• Cross-Team Collaboration: Can the product team work with the sales team to uncover unmet customer needs?
• Expanding the Product Line: Can you introduce new offerings to increase sales?
• Alignment Days: Bring teams together to identify roadblocks and brainstorm solutions.

Why is teamwork important?

Different teams see challenges from different perspectives. When they collaborate, they generate better solutions.

What’s the Right Goal Difficulty?

The sweet spot for goal difficulty is when the goal is 60-70% achievable.

For example, if you increase the sales goal from $200,000 to $240,000, and your team reaches $228,000 (or 70% of the increased goal), they are already ahead of their previous committed goal.

Supporting Your Team to Achieve Higher Goals

To help your sales team reach a 40% jump, you must:

• Remove obstacles that slow them down.
• Encourage cross-functional teamwork to find better solutions.
• Provide ongoing support to maintain motivation.

Only through collaboration and structured support can your teams achieve bigger and better results.

Why Should Your Company Focus on Aspirational Goals?

When it comes to choosing aspirational vs. committed OKRs, going for the latter can help with the following:

• Teams think creatively and look for new ways to improve.
• People stay motivated when they have a challenge.
• Businesses that push boundaries stay ahead.
• Teams collaborate to find new ways to succeed.

In Conclusion: Aspirational vs. Committed OKRs 

To reap the benefits of taking your organization to new heights: 

1. Set aspirational goals and not committed goals.   

1. Set aspirational goals that are stretched goals.  Slightly … out of reach, but not impossible.   

1. Get your teams engaged, think outside the box, get them inspired 

1. Encourage cross-functional teams to collaborate and get different points of view. 

1. Provide support and help clear the roadblocks 

Target Align is designed specifically for startups looking to streamline goal-setting, track progress, and improve team alignment with an easy-to-use OKR platform. Unlike complex corporate tools, our software is built with simplicity, flexibility, and clarity in mind, helping small teams stay focused on what truly matters.

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