The OP's article actually talks about how your goal internally should be ambitious but outwardly only be something simple. So maybe the less ambitious goals wer

The OP's article actually talks about how your goal internally should be ambitious but outwardly only be something simple. So maybe the less ambitious goals were what they told people and the more ambitious goals are what they aimed for. For example Paul Graham states you may be looking to replace email with a todo list like application. But all you really have to say is you're building a todo list application. He says this prevents investors from saying are we there yet and likely thinking you are a bit too ambitious.