The Great Projects Dictionary

WHAG (noun)/ wăg /

Wishful Hairy Audacious Guess

  1. A bold-sounding aspiration that mimics the form of a BHAG but lacks grounding in deep understanding, rigorous thinking, or disciplined execution.

  2. An organizational “imposter goal” — dramatic in tone, hollow in substance.

Usage:

  • “That’s not a BHAG, it’s a WHAG — more bravado than understanding.”

  • “We turned our WHAG into a true BHAG by refining the goal by developing a clear plan rooted in rigorous debate.”

Related terms: BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), SBUG (Small Bald Unaudacious Goal), SMUG (Superficial Massive Unattainable Goal).

  • A WHAG looks and sounds like a BHAG, but it isn’t one.


    Instead of being rooted in deep understanding, it’s fueled by bravado, hope, or guesswork. WHAGs grab attention with bold language but lack the rigorous thinking, anchoring, and discipline that make true BHAGs powerful.

    Leaders often mistake WHAGs for BHAGs because both feel audacious and inspiring at first. The difference is that a BHAG galvanizes action and aligns people toward a clear destination, while a WHAG drifts — creating wasted effort, lost momentum, and eventual contempt for the organization.

    Think of WHAGs as the “imposters” of big goals: they’re loud, exciting, and dramatic, but ultimately hollow. It’s not uncommon for good leaders to end up with a WHAG — but it’s your responsibility to transform that WHAG into a BHAG: a goal rooted in deep understanding, capable of guiding a Great Project.”