Moonshot Thinking

As the world is celebrating 50 years of Apollo 11, the mission that first landed humans on the Moon. This also inspired us with “Moonshot Thinking”. Moonshot thinking is later popularized by Google X (X: The Moonshot Factory) of its parent company Alphabet.

What is Moonshot Thinking?

Moonshot Thinking is when we choose a huge problem, and propose to create a radical solution to the problem using disruptive technology. Also, a moonshot aims for a 10x impact on the problems, not just a 10% improvement.

Few examples moonshots from The Moonshot Factory

How can balloons deliver the Internet to rural and unconnected places? and unconnected places?

How can drones change the way goods are delivered around the world? around the world?

How can kites be used to generate electricity in unexpected places?in unexpected places?

How can beams of light support the rapidly growing global demand for data? global demand for data?

What makes a great Moonshot?

Clearly Defined Problem
Radical Proposal to fix the problem
Scientific Reason to believe it

What is a Moonshot mindset?

It is about the quality of experiments not the quality of the outcome
Embracing failure
To make a ton of progress we have to go through a ton of failures
Start from a plain sheet of paper
Figure it as you go
Believe
No excuses
Fail fast

Moonshot Thinking for companies:

Peter Diamandis 5 step to try moonshot thinking for companies.

1. Hire some 20-something to do some digging.

Create a striking force young people who are smart, naive and hard working.

2. Question everything and everyone.

Let the striking force takes 4–6 weeks to observe and document all the challenges everything in and around the company.

3. Generate Ideas, no limitations.

Generate as many ideas to solve these challenges with no limitations. Go crazy.

4. Catalog, prioritize and select

As the team to pick 10–20 ideas and rate them with competitiveness, financial impact and ease of implementation (time & money).

5. Fund the best ideas and best teams

Empower the best.

Source: https://www.slideshare.net/slidesthatrock/moonshot-thinking-55294428

Moonshot Planner exercise:

http://podcast.diamandis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/5-Year-Moonshot.pdf

5-Year Goal: Briefly describe your 5-year Moonshot goal in a clear, objective fashion using specific dates and numbers.

1-Year Goal: What concrete, measurable milestones can you achieve in 12 months that will put you on track? Remember, your progress is exponential. You just need to hit 6.25% of the target.

30-Day Goal: What can you do in the next 30 days to test and ‘de-risk’ your 1-year and 5-year objectives?

PROOF: What evidence can you provide to your team that this Moonshot is possible?

ACTION: What single action can you take right now to make immediate progress?

Source: https://www.diamandis.com/blog/a-five-year-moonshot-planner