{"id":106306,"date":"2022-09-09T06:12:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-09T06:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/?p=106306"},"modified":"2025-11-18T03:52:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T08:52:52","slug":"stretch-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/project-management\/stretch-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"How to set stretch goals: a 2026 guide to inspiring your team"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Leveraged correctly, stretch goals can take your organization to the next level. They can fuel innovation as they create challenges that motivate your best employees and even attract new talent. When your company is able to achieve its stretch goals, upward leaps in both performance and profit are possible. However, they are not without risk \u2014 it’s vital that you set the right stretch goals and reach for them at the appropriate time. Let’s take a look at how implementing stretch goals properly can help your organization level up.<\/p>\n

“Stretch goals” is a part of our Project Management Glossary \u2014 check out the full list of terms and definitions!<\/em><\/p>\n

Get started<\/a><\/p>\n

What are stretch goals?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stretch goals are goals that challenge the capacities and expectations of an organization. They demand a lot of effort and carry with them a lot of risk. These goals are largely aspirational, requiring\u00a0team members to reach beyond their standard level of accomplishment to achieve something new and exciting. When a team achieves a stretch goal, the team members often develop a greater sense of motivation for the next goal, feeling enthusiastic about their work and bonded as a team. Stretch goals often inspire innovation and productivity.<\/p>\nStretch goals are largely aspirational, requiring team members to reach beyond their standard level of accomplishment to achieve something new and exciting.<\/span><\/a>\n

Sometimes, partial achievement of a stretch goal is enough to fuel the motivation of a team. Realistic stretch goals encourage growth, while unrealistic, audacious goals intentionally aim to move teams out of their comfort zone and beyond the norm. The latter is unusual in that the stretch target is often thought to be unachievable. If an unrealistic stretch goal is actually reached, its exceptional results can open new markets and areas of growth for a company.<\/p>\n

Understanding whether a stretch goal strategy is a smart idea for your business is critical. Stretch goals can be a great idea for an enterprise that’s already strong and performing well. Companies will often turn to stretch goals when they feel employees are becoming complacent about their work. However, setting overly ambitious goals can be a poor choice for those whose resources are already stretched thin.<\/p>\n

Stretch goals vs. traditional goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Stretch goals are not a replacement for the traditional goals that you set for your business. In many cases, though, stretch goals can complement your standard goals. Many organizations set SMART goals<\/a>\u00a0as their standard objectives, designing goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. For example, your sales team might set a SMART goal to increase sales revenue in a certain division by 40% over the coming year. That achievable goal could accompany a stretch goal that calls for increasing sales revenue in that division by 400% over the year. The stretch goal may not be achievable, but by aiming for it, your sales team might end up with a 120% increase in revenue they might not otherwise have believed possible.<\/p>\n

Unlike traditional goals, stretch goals should be extremely difficult to achieve. They should be beyond the reach of your team based its on historical performance, resources and capabilities. In addition, stretch goals should require radically different approaches for achievement. If a goal can be achieved simply by having your team work harder or longer, it’s not truly a stretch goal. Stretch goals require out-of-the-box thinking that leads to new and different solutions to problems. The more extreme a goal is and the more extreme its required approach, the more likely it is to be an actual stretch goal.<\/p>\n

How stretch goals affect projects<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Stretch goals are most appropriate for strong, established teams: those that are performing well and enjoy high morale. This is part of the stretch goal paradox<\/a>, a concept introduced in Harvard Business Review. The paradox consists of the fact that stretch goals are of most value among teams that are already successful. Teams that are struggling, paradoxically, may struggle even more when trying to reach a stretch goal. Team leaders may set overly ambitious goals when their teams are undergoing a losing streak, inadvertently creating a toxic work environment with an exercise that was initially supposed to provide motivation. A struggling team’s chances of success are low when confronted with such a goal, and team members may feel intimidated and demoralized by the attempt.<\/p>\n

In contrast, teams that have been doing well are likely to become complacent with their performance. They may dwell on their past successes and not even think of challenging themselves. In these cases, stretch goals can inspire teams to new heights and create enthusiasm for reaching original goals that require innovation and fresh approaches to achieve.<\/p>\n

Examples of stretch goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When a stretch goal is actually achieved, it sometimes makes history. A famous example is the U.S. race to put a person on the moon in the 1960s \u2014 a long-term goal that was achieved ahead of schedule. In business, one notable example was Southwest Airlines’ stretch goal in 1972. At that time, the airline was in financial trouble and had even sold one of its four planes to make expenses. As a result, Southwest had to meet its flight schedule with only 75% of the carrying capacity it needed. So, the company set an ambitious stretch goal, calculating that it could fulfill its schedule if it reduced the one-hour turnaround time to get a plane in and out of the gate to a mere 10 minutes. Though it was considered impossible, Southwest achieved that stretch goal through a complete revision of staff practices and a reset of customer expectations. The bold move turned the company around, and Southwest’s diminished fleet has since grown in number from three to approximately 739 planes.<\/p>\n

When a stretch goal is actually achieved, it sometimes makes history.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What constitutes a stretch goal for your company depends on your unique situation. A small business could consider it a stretch goal to open a second brick-and-mortar shop, while a customer service team handling phone contacts might focus on reducing customer wait time from 30 minutes to one minute. If you run a nonprofit organization, your stretch goals might include increased fundraising, while a marketing team may set a stretch goal of reaching 1 million qualified leads within a quarter.<\/p>\n

Benefits and risks of stretch goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stretch goals can be beneficial if you have a team that’s ready to take them on. For many organizations, stretch goals are exciting. Team members become enthusiastic about possibilities they’ve never considered before, and they become confident as they begin to see results \u2014 complacency washes away. Stretch goals also bond teams together and help enhance loyalty to the organization, in part because everyone feels they’re contributing to a larger goal. These goals encourage creativity and “blue sky” thinking, since employees have to find new approaches to reach their goals, and they can turn a humdrum work environment into one humming along with innovation. Employees often become more productive across the board because of the extra efficiency and creativity required to meet stretch goals.<\/p>\n

However, stretch goals also present some real risks, especially if they are vague or wildly unrealistic. When employees are asked to accomplish tasks that are far outside their skill sets, they may end up feeling inferior. If you’ve established a stretch goal that isn’t designed to be met, team members may ultimately deem themselves failures \u2014 even if they’ve achieved far more than you expected. In some cases, teams may even resort to unethical behavior to try to meet their stretch goals, all to avoid the psychological cost of being seen as inadequate. Stretch goals also often bring with them a great deal of pressure and stress, especially if the team involved does not have the necessary resources or time to achieve them.<\/p>\n

Get started<\/a><\/p>\n

How to come up with and achieve stretch goals with monday.com<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the ways to set and achieve stretch goals is with a robust project management system that includes the tools at monday.com. With a strong system in place, project managers can break stretch goals down into smaller, individual goals and implement goal tracking to measure the progress of their teams.<\/p>\n

monday.com’s Quarterly Objectives Template<\/a>\u00a0can help you focus on goal achievement within a defined time frame, while the SMART Goals Template<\/a>\u00a0can help you make practical choices when setting even the most ambitious goal. Making sure your team has all the resources it needs to achieve a stretch goal is a key factor in its success.<\/p>\n

Get started<\/a><\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What is a stretch goal?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A stretch goal is an ambitious, challenging goal that demands that an organization or team “stretch” its normal capabilities to achieve it.<\/p>\n

Why are stretch goals important?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Stretch goals are important because they inspire teams to think big and accomplish goals they might not consider possible. These goals encourage innovation and creativity while ramping up motivation and enthusiasm among employees.<\/p>\n

How to set stretch goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The process of setting a stretch goal involves defining the goal; assessing whether the resources are available to pursue it; creating an action plan and timeline for the project; and tracking progress toward the goal. Stretch goals are most appropriate for organizations that are already thriving and productive, and that have the resources needed to pursue them.<\/p>\n

Are stretch goals right for your organization?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Not every organization should pursue stretch goals, and not every time is the right time to pursue them. That said, organizations with the resources to make a giant leap can aim for goals that are simultaneously ambitious and risky. The right stretch goal can move your team past stagnation and toward innovation when you employ smart tools to guide the way.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leveraged correctly, stretch goals can take your organization to the next level. They can fuel innovation as they create challenges that motivate your best employees and even attract new talent. When your company is able to achieve its stretch goals, upward leaps in both performance and profit are possible. However, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":295,"featured_media":223624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"pages\/cornerstone-primary.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"How To Set Stretch Goals: A 2026 Guide To Inspiring Your Team","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Stretch goals help you push your team with purpose so you can encourage growth, stay motivated, and reach new performance heights together.","monday_item_id":18041110886,"monday_board_id":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13904],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":{"lobby_image":false,"post_thumbnail_title":"","hide_post_info":false,"hide_bottom_cta":false,"hide_from_blog":false,"landing_page_layout":false,"cluster":"","display_dates":"updated","featured_image_link":"","banner_url":"","main_text_banner":"Try monday.com for projects","sub_title_banner":"Join the 152K+ customers who use monday.com","sub_title_banner_second":"","banner_button_text":"","below_banner_line":"","use_customized_cta":false,"display_subscribe_widget":false,"custom_schema_code":"","sidebar_color_banner":"","custom_tags":false,"faqs":[{"faq_title":"Frequently asked questions","faq_shortcode":"FAQ_tag","faq":[{"question":"What is the difference between a stretch goal and an OKR?","answer":"

An OKR (Objective and Key Result) is a goal-setting framework used to align teams and track progress. A stretch goal is a type of highly ambitious goal. You can set a stretch goal within the OKR framework, often by setting a Key Result that is intentionally difficult to achieve. However, not all OKRs are stretch goals; many are 'committed OKRs' that the team is expected to hit 100%.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"How do you motivate a team to pursue a goal they think is impossible?","answer":"

Motivation comes from a clear vision, psychological safety, and celebrating progress. First, communicate the 'why' behind the goal to create buy-in. Second, create an environment where failure is seen as a learning opportunity. Finally, break the goal into smaller milestones and celebrate every win along the way. Using a transparent platform like monday.com helps everyone see the progress being made, which is a powerful motivator.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"Are stretch goals and BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) the same thing?","answer":"

They are very similar but differ in scope and timeframe. A BHAG, a term from the book 'Built to Last,' is a long-term, visionary goal that can take 10-30 years to achieve (e.g., putting a person on the moon). A stretch goal is typically shorter-term (e.g., quarterly or annual) and more focused on pushing the boundaries of a team's or company's current capabilities. A stretch goal can be a step toward achieving a BHAG.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"How do you measure success for a stretch goal that isn't 100% achieved?","answer":"

Success isn't always binary. For a stretch goal, achieving 70-80% of the target can be a massive victory. The key is to define what success looks like upfront. Measure not only the final number but also the innovations, process improvements, and new skills the team developed along the way. The true success of a stretch goal often lies in the breakthrough progress it generates, not just hitting the target.<\/p>\n"}]}],"activate_cta_banner":false,"sections":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content_1","blocks":[{"main_heading":"","content_block":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","content":"

Stretch goals can unlock major growth, but only when they\u2019re designed and managed with intention. These ambitious targets push teams to rethink what\u2019s possible, challenge existing assumptions, and explore new ways of working. The right stretch goal can increase motivation, spark creativity, and create momentum across an entire organization. The wrong one can drain morale and stall progress.<\/p>\n

This guide walks you through what stretch goals actually are, how they differ from other goal-setting methods, when to use them, how to avoid the common risks, and clear steps for setting your own. You\u2019ll also find modern stretch goal ideas for different teams and practical ways to track progress so teams stay aligned.<\/p>\n

Key takeaways<\/h2>\n