Utilize Strategic Thinking
“Most people spend more time planning their summer vacation than
planning their lives.”
—S
OURCE
U
NKNOWN
When you hear the words “strategic thinking,” what comes to mind? Do visions
of business plans dance in your head? Do
you conjure up marketing plans, the
kind that can turn a company around? Perhaps you contemplate global politics.
Or you recall some of history’s greatest military campaigns: Hannibal crossing
the Alps
to surprise the Roman army, Charlemagne’s conquest of Western
Europe, or the Allies’ D-Day invasion of Normandy. Perhaps,
but strategy
doesn’t have to be restricted to military action—or even to business. Strategic
thinking can make a positive impact on any area of life.
PLAN YOUR LIFE, LIVE YOUR PLAN
I’ve observed that most people try to plan their lives one day at a time. They
wake up,
make up their to-do list, and dive into action (although some people
aren’t even
that
strategic).
Fewer individuals plan their lives one week at a time.
They review their
calendar for the week, check their appointments, review their goals, and then get
to work. They generally outachieve most of their daily-planning colleagues. I try
to take planning one step further.
At the beginning of every month, I spend half a day working on my calendar
for the next forty days. Forty days works for me rather than just thirty. That way,
I get a jump on the next month and don’t get surprised. I begin by reviewing my
travel schedule and planning activities with my family. Then I review what
projects, lessons, and other objectives I want to accomplish during those five to
six weeks. Then I start blocking out
days and times for thinking, writing,
working, meeting with people,
etc.
I set times to do fun things, such as seeing a
show, watching a ball game, or playing golf. I also set aside small blocks of time
to compensate for the unexpected. By the time I’m done, I can tell you nearly
everything I’ll be doing,
almost hour by hour, during the coming weeks. This
strategy is one of the reasons I have been able to accomplish much.
