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What does "Boil the ocean" mean?
To attempt to do something impossible or overly ambitious, often involving excessive effort or resources.
When do you use "Boil the ocean"?
Use this phrase when discussing plans or projects that are too ambitious, complex, or unrealistic, particularly in business or strategic planning contexts.
"Boil the ocean" Usage Examples
- We need to focus on smaller, achievable goals instead of trying to boil the ocean with this project.
- His proposal sounds great, but we can't afford to boil the ocean; we need a more targeted approach.
- During the meeting, she warned the team against boiling the ocean and suggested breaking the project into manageable tasks.
- Let's not boil the ocean with our marketing strategy; we should concentrate on our key demographics first.
- If we keep trying to boil the ocean with this initiative, we'll never get anything done.
"Boil the ocean" Explained
The phrase 'boil the ocean' is believed to have originated in the business and project management fields in the 1980s. It metaphorically suggests that trying to completely boil the vastness of the ocean is a futile task, just as attempting to tackle overly ambitious projects can lead to failure. The phrase highlights the impracticality of taking on too much at once.