reach for the sky

Meanings

interjection

Surrender (by putting your hands up)!
Synonyms: hands up, stick 'em up

verbreach for the sky (third-person singular simple present reaches for the sky, present participle reaching for the sky, simple past and past participle reached for the sky)

present singular third person reaches for the sky · participle present reaching for the sky · participle past reached for the sky · past reached for the sky · alternative reach for the skies

idiomaticinformalTo aim for the best possible outcome.
Indeed, career counseling encourages individuals to “reach for the sky.”
2014, Gideon Arulmani, Anuradha J. Bakshi, Frederick T. L. Leong, A. G. Watts, Handbook of Career Development: International Perspectives, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 306
2 more examples
Far better to start modestly and grow gradually than to reach for the sky with grand plans that could only end in the collapse of the institution.
1993, Robert Emmett Curran, The Bicentennial History of Georgetown University: From academy to university, 1789-1889, Georgetown University Press, →ISBN, page 27
Resigned to his blue-collar status, Donna's father's belief was “Why reach for the sky when you can be happy on earth?” Donna says, “My dad was trying to save me from disappointment. The daughter of peasant stock shouldn't strive to be in the ruling class, he thought.”
2010, Alfred Lubrano, Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 33
Synonyms: reach for the stars, aim for the sky