Rhetoric Tip #6: Speak Your Moonshot
How JFK’s Most Daring Speech Can Inspire Your Boldest Goals
It was the height of the Cold War. The Soviet Union had rattled the world with Sputnik and aimed for global domination technologically, politically, and ideologically. The pressure on the U.S.A. was intense and immediate. On September 12, 1962, in the sweltering heat of Houston, President John F. Kennedy stepped onto the stage at Rice University. With resolve in his voice and sweat on his brow, he delivered a statement that dared a nation to dream bigger:
“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because the challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”[1]
You don’t have to admire JFK’s politics or overlook his personal failings to learn from this moment. In this speech, he rose to the occasion and modeled what visionary rhetoric sounds like: clear, bold, anchored in purpose.
During the speech JFK reminds Americans of the trajectory of human progress, from the wheel to the printing press to nuclear power. He sums up:
“If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred.”[2]
Every Moonshot Involves Risk
Big goals require big risks, which carry the possibility of failure. But leaders don’t flinch from this truth. Instead, they name it, own it, and push forward anyway. JFK states:
“Failure? We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they don’t admit them. And they may be less public.”[3]
That line was a lesson in persistence. If you are going to attempt something historic, something audacious, you will fall short along the way. The key is not to avoid failure but to learn from it.
Where in your life have you tried something ambitious and stumbled? Did you own the setback and keep going?
In my case, I’ve failed plenty. Some speeches didn’t land. Some business efforts didn’t take off. I made bold declarations that didn’t pan out. For instance, ever since the 1990s, I share my Annual Report (a list of goals and achievements) with friends and family. I know that I will likely fail to achieve at least one of those goals. And every time, the failure teaches me something that makes the next attempt better. Even the failure of my first marriage did not stop me. It became part of the journey that led me to find the love of my life.
One Speech. One Giant Leap.
In the history of public speaking, few speeches have ignited a mission so boldly. JFK’s words lit the fuse of a national dream–one aimed at the Moon, a mystery that had stirred human wonder for ages. Less than seven years later, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon and declared:
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”[4]
That step was possible because of a leader’s clear, courageous vision—one that rallied a nation and inspired the world. No wonder two million people lined New York’s Canyon of Heroes to honor astronauts Armstrong, “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins.
What Is Your Moonshot?
You may not be commanding NASA, but you are leading something, whether it’s an idea, a team, or a mission. As a speaker, what’s one big goal you’re calling others toward?
Not everyone has a billion-dollar budget and a rocket team on standby. But hey, your audience doesn’t need you to launch a spacecraft… just a compelling idea that doesn’t crash and burn.
My biggest moonshot launches on September 2, 2025: the release of Voices of Reason, my contribution to the leadership conversation. This book is aimed at readers and speakers hungry for moral clarity and rhetorical courage. And unlike the Apollo program, my mission doesn’t require a rocket—just character, connection, and maybe a decent Wi-Fi signal.
If John F. Kennedy can convince a nation to shoot for the moon, you can inspire your audience to pursue your vision. Just remember: make your message clear, your goal bold, and your voice anchored in purpose. Great speeches not only describe the future, they define it.
Ready to launch a message worth following? Let’s talk. Schedule a discovery call and let’s define your moonshot.
[1] John F. Kennedy, “We Choose to Go to the Moon,” https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/historic-speeches/address-at-rice-university-on-the-nations-space-effort#:~:text=to%20the%20Moon.- John F. Kennedy Presidential Liberty and Museum, accessed July 15, 2025.
[2] John F. Kennedy, “We Choose to Go to the Moon,” https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/historic-speeches/address-at-rice-university-on-the-nations-space-effort#:~:text=to%20the%20Moon.- John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, accessed July 15, 2025.
[3] John F. Kennedy, “We Choose to Go to the Moon,” https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/historic-speeches/address-at-rice-university-on-the-nations-space-effort#:~:text=to%20the%20Moon.- John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, accessed July 15, 2025.
[4]Amy Stamm, “’One Small Step for Man’ or ‘a Man’?” https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/one-small-step-man-or-man#:~:text=The%20case%20also%20features%20Neil,one%20giant%20leap%20for%20mankind.%22. National Air and Space Museum, accessed July 15, 2025.
Being a 35-year Chicagoan, architect Daniel Burnham’s quote resonates for me and corroborates your thesis here: “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood.”