Go for the Hard Thing: Why Big Ideas Win
People generally don't go after their most ambitious ideas. But that's what creates the most value. Plus there's fewer people who play in that space.
Go for the hard thing.
Most people chase the easy opportunities—they feel safe, proven, and achievable. But as Brian Armstrong points out, true value comes from pursuing the hardest, most ambitious ideas. These are the challenges that few dare to tackle, which means less competition and more potential upside.
Why going big pays off
- Big ideas create outsized impact and attract top talent.
- There’s less competition in high-difficulty spaces.
- Ambitious goals inspire investors, partners, and customers.
- Tackling hard problems builds strong, resilient teams.
Who’s playing this game
SpaceX set out to make humanity multiplanetary by developing reusable rockets that drastically lowered launch costs.
Tesla pursued the nearly impossible goal of making electric cars desirable and accessible at scale.
OpenAI took on the challenge of building safe, advanced artificial intelligence for the benefit of all humanity.