As a business strategist, I've developed many strategies for companies.
And, interestingly, I find many strategy tools, principles, and approaches for business are also applicable for:
Macro-state level – such as national defense strategy, economic development strategy, regional infrastructure strategy, etc.
Micro-individual level – such as life strategy, career strategy, income strategy, etc.
But the most striking observation for me is that:
Most countries have a strategy (despite effective or not),
Most businesses have a strategy (despite winning or not), and
Most organizations have a strategy (whether implementable or not).
BUT most individuals DON'T have a strategy.
Even the individuals who create strategies for countries, businesses, and organizations – most of them neglect to develop a strategy for themselves.
Given this fact, it is no wonder that most people aren't able to achieve what they want.
Even worse, so many of them don't know what exactly they want to achieve, i.e., they do not have a clear goal!
This is a tragedy because the most crucial step for winning is 'having a clear goal.' It's the first and foremost. It's why G (for Goal) is the first letter in The GOSPEL approach of Winning Strategy.
Can you imagine a ship sailing without a goal/direction in mind? What are the odds this ship will reach a prosperous and bustling port? Near zero!
We can learn a lot about goal setting from sailing.
Need to know where you are going
No respectable ship captain will sail without knowing where the ship is heading.
Similarly, as the captain of your life, you need to know for sure where your life is heading.
Clear measures of success
A ship captain has a clear measure of success, i. e., arriving at the destination port.
Similarly, in life, you also need to have clear measures of success. In The GOSPEL of Strategy, I recommend a combination of short-, medium-, and long-term quantitative metrics. This is to ensure the measures are as specific as possible.
Focus on one single direction only
A ship can reach hundreds of ports successfully – but it can only sail to one port at a time. Not ten, not three, not two. Just one.
Similarly, in life, you can only have one priority direction at a time. If you try to pursue multiple directions simultaneously, you are like a ship trying to sail in two different directions at the same time. It just won't work.
Making progress even though you cannot see it yet
A ship's journey towards the destination port – 99% of the time, the destination port is not visible. But the captain keeps sailing in that direction because he knows as long as the ship is heading in the right direction, the ship will reach the destination port. He then keeps sailing until, one day, the destination port becomes visible.
Similarly, in life, when we set a goal, most of the time, we cannot see it yet (i.e., it seems unreachable). But as long as we believe in the process, keep working toward it, and persevere in the right direction, suddenly, one day, the goal becomes very visible and reachable.
Making progress when you encounter problems along the way
A ship captain, when sailing, knows that there will be problems along the way (e.g., high waves, bad storms, rocky waters, broken masts, crew mutinies, and engine failures). But all of these issues can be fixed. As long as the ship is heading in the right direction, it will reach the destination port sooner or later.
Similarly, in life, there are problems you will encounter. But all of them are fixable problems. They are much easier problems to fix than the problem of not having a goal. If you keep moving towards your goal, step-by-step, you will reach it sooner or later.
Making luck less relevant
A rudderless ship is subject to wind and waves, drifting directionlessly. How can it reach a bustling and prosperous port? Only in the cases of excellent luck.
Compare this to the ship actively sailing toward the bustling and prosperous port. How can it not reach the intended destination? Only in the case of horrible luck.
Hopefully, you now see the importance of having a goal in life.
So, what is your goal in life? Is it clearly defined? Are you committed to it?
Learn more about goal setting the GOSPEL way here.
Alternatively, continue to explore the secrets of winning strategy here.
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