The correct quote is actually, "...and do the other things," and it makes more sense in context. Here's a bit more of it that should clarify things:

But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?

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 that 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.

So Kennedy was speaking in general about doing things that are hard and challenging. The "other things" specifically mentioned in his speech are Sir Edmund Hillary climbing Mt Everest, Charles Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic, and Rice University playing the University of Texas, I assume in football (the speech was made at Rice Stadium).

Here's the full text if you'd like to read it

Here's video of the speech on YouTube

hi! there's room for more input on this, but meanwhile check out responses to these earlier posts

• In JFK's Moon speech, what are the "other things" he speaks of that we will do?

• "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." What are the other things?