Moonshot Thinking: When Dreaming Big is the Only Option

What makes us human? No, it is definitely not our love for pizza or dog memes, although those are pretty cool. It’s our commitment to dreaming big. The ability to imagine a future that seems absurd today and then furiously grinding away until it becomes reality. Some of the coolest achievements in history; they started as wild ideas that most people laughed at. Spoiler: those people were very wrong.

Take the moon landing. Back in 1962, President John F. Kennedy stood up and said, “We’re sending a man to the moon and bringing him back safely.” Quite bold, right? Considering we didn’t even have the tech to do it at the time, many thought it was a joke. Just seven years later, Neil Armstrong was moonwalking (the original version, no offense to MJ). That wasn’t just a win for science. No... No... This was proof that big dreams paired with action can lead to jaw dropping results.

So then, What Exactly is Moonshot Thinking? Moonshot thinking is all about those ambitious, audacious ideas that make people say, “You’re kidding, right?” It’s about solving giant problems, the biggest problems, flipping industries upside down, and reinventing how the world works & operates.

And the best part? Moonshot thinking is accessible to everyone, not just those in the aerospace industry.

Bitcoin: The Financial Moonshot That Took Off

Let's bring you to 2009. The global economy was still limping after the financial crisis; a crisis that shattered people’s faith & trust in banks, governments, and basically anyone in a suit. Out of this mess came Bitcoin, the rebellious underdog of finance and we deem as value.

Imagine money that doesn’t need banks or politicians. Bitcoin was like a mic drop for the financial world: decentralized, secure, and transparent. It runs on blockchain, a digital ledger that’s like an unhackable notebook where every transaction gets recorded. No funny business allowed (looking at you big banks).

The mysterious creator (or team, or... we don't really know) behind Bitcoin, known only as Satoshi Nakamoto, didn’t just tweak and tinker with the existing financial system. Nope. They tossed it out and built something entirely new. It was like showing up to a chess tournament and inventing a new game with the same board. Genius, but also wild, and most importantly; it works.

People Laughed. Then Bitcoin Laughed Back, hard.

At first, Bitcoin sounded like something out of a sci-fi novel or movie. “Digital money? No banks? Yeah, sure bro.” But fast-forward to today, and Bitcoin is worth billions, actually trillions. For people in countries without access to reliable banking, it’s more than an investment; it’s quite literally a lifeline.

Imagine living in a place where your savings lose value (goes to literal zero; nothing) overnight due to inflation, or where sending money across borders feels like a Herculean task (with fees to match). Bitcoin offers a solution: freedom from middlemen, reduced corruption, and the power to control your own finances, a crazy idea, that should not seem that crazy.

Why Moonshot Thinking Works

Here’s the thing about moonshot thinking: it doesn’t ask, “How can we make this a bit better?” Instead, it asks, “What if we completely reimagined this?” this is the beauty of it. That’s pretty much what Satoshi did. Instead of trying to fix banks, they/him/her, whomever asked, “What if we didn’t need banks at all?” Boom. Bitcoin & the orange pill were born. This same mindset is revolutionizing industries beyond finance. From tracing coffee beans back to their ethical roots to creating tamper-proof voting systems (we need those), blockchain technology is rewriting the rules.

The Human Touch: Why Moonshots Matter

Here’s where it gets real. Moonshots aren’t just about shiny tech, they’re about people for the people. Bitcoin, for instance, isn’t just some fancy code someone cooked up. It’s a tool that is changing lives, is and will change how the future will operate.

Over a billion people worldwide don’t have access to a bank account. For them, Bitcoin is more than an investment, (will repeat my self here) it’s a lifeline. It’s a way to save money, send funds, and escape the grip of corrupt systems. In countries plagued by hyperinflation, where savings evaporate faster than ice cream on a hot day, Bitcoin offers hope, freedom and truth.

Satoshi wasn’t looking to create a gadget for Wall Street (of whom definitely have their eye on) . They saw a problem, a very big one and built a solution for everyone.

Lessons from the Moon

So, what can we actually learn from moonshot thinkers like Satoshi?

• Think ridiculously big. Forget small fixes and tinkers. Go for the wild, “this might not work” ideas.
• Be bold, very bold. Great ideas often sound absurd at first. Keep going, do not stop.
• Start now. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Use what you’ve got right now and take action.
• Find your crew. Moonshots are not solo missions. Collaboration is key, a tight good crew is a must.
• Fail forward. Might not seem like it but every stumble teaches you something. It's a face first fall; forward. Just keep moving.

Your Turn: What’s Your Moonshot?

The world is hungry for big ideas (so are VC's). Whether it’s tackling climate change, fixing healthcare, or making sure every kid has access to quality education, the opportunities for moonshot thinking are endless. Bitcoin showed us that even the craziest ideas can become world-changing realities. So, ask yourself: What’s the problem I care about the most? What would it take to solve it, not just tweak it? And remember, the first step toward achieving the impossible is believing it just might actually be possible. So go ahead, go for it; dream big. Dream moon-big, mars big, bitcoin big. Then, start building.