My pilgrimage began out of both a desire and a sense of frustration. For my^35th birthday, I asked my friends and family for gifts related to walking a pilgrimage route. For example, a donation of 10 euros, which represented a pair of hiking socks. (Yes, they were that cheap 15 years ago.) Or 150 euros for a backpack. I think I asked my parents for this gift.

Now you should know that I didn’t go on a pilgrimage with just that. I bought socks and good shoes. I got myself a Camelbak, which is a plastic bag you can put in your backpack. It has a long plastic tube so you can easily take a sip of water while you’re on the go. I used these hiking items on daily hikes in the Netherlands, and on vacations in Portugal and Italy.

I usually walk 10,000 steps a day. Because it keeps me fit and I like setting small goals. But I’ve never had anything like a true BHAG: a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. In the book *Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies*, Jim Collins and Jerry Portas introduce this acronym—or, I’d rather say, this new concept. It’s a clear and compelling goal (for an organization) to strive for.

A little bit of theory behind the BHAG. It is intended to pull people out of a slump and energize them to implement a big-picture plan that might take a long time to complete. Often, a BHAG is a three- or five-year goal that falls into one of four categories: role model, common enemy, internal transformation, and a target.

That target element and internal transformation were the focus of my personal BHAG. Going on an adventure, walking 1,000 kilometers in one year, and finishing it in Rome on my^50th birthday.

When it comes to customer experience, I really miss BHAGs. Going from a 7.1 to a 7.5 on CSAT doesn’t excite me (or your employees, most likely) one bit. It’s even boring. But aiming for an international CX award as the best CX team of the year? That’s what gets people fired up. Being the best. Being as good as… Amazon, Coolblue, etc. Embarking on a transformation to go from having customers complain to having them become your biggest fans. Creating the best place to work. Those kinds of BHAGs drive real transformation.

The litmus test of a true BHAG is how it answers questions such as:

If the answers to these questions lean toward “yes,” you may have a potential BHAG. Dare to aim for the moon. Set your CX BHAG and get the creative juices flowing. My pilgrimage BHAG scared the hell out of me, but it also spurred me onward. It felt adventurous, and I sure as hell poured all my energy into it. Let’s make this happen in CX, too!

This blog post is Chapter 4 of my newest book, *CX is a Pilgrimage*. Want to read more?

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Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations. 

With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.