Go For The Gold Meaning

(idiomatic) To attempt to achieve the maximum reward or result in an endeavor.

Example: 1993, Nora Roberts, Honest Illusions, ISBN 9780515110975, p. 439:
  Deciding to go for the gold, he leaned close to Luke's ear and whispered, "Can you tell Mama I should have a dog? A really big dog?"
2007, "Eco-friendly Napa Valley hotel caters to conscientious travelers," USA Today, 3 Jan. (retrieved 20 July 2009):
  The 132-room Gaia Napa Valley Hotel wants to go for the gold, making it the highest-rated hotel in the state and the nation.