What Is Strategic Thinking and Why Is It Important?

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Happy February!

I had a less than productive January for a variety of reasons: new family members and getting them situated, helping my college-aged son with some things for college, and life in general. I am trying to get back on pace with publishing on my blog and launching my novel. Big goals, I know!

Since it’s never too late to start your goals, I decided to spend some of this month look at strategic thinking which is important when creating your goals and implementing them. So, even if you’re like me and missed some of the goals you had selected for January, let’s get moving and start February strong.

You have certainly heard plenty of talk about strategic thinking by now. It is constantly talked about in terms of businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. Journalists talk about the importance of these organizations using strategic thinking and now more people are talking about how you should use it in your own life.

But what is this particular form of thinking and how can it be useful to you in your personal life? In other words, why should you care?

A Working Definition of Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking involves planning how to achieve a goal or goals while taking into account the actions needed, the resources available, and the obstacles that may come up. It involves a lot of planning and forethought to help make attaining the goals more likely.

It should be obvious why strategic thinking is beneficial to businesses and other large organizations. Complex goals are difficult to achieve even without thorough planning. Strategic thinking is vital for a business and its management if there is any hope of reaching the goals in question.

What Can It Do for You Personally?

The same is also true for your personal life. Just because a personal goal is not as complex as that of a multinational corporation or a university does not mean it is not difficult to achieve. It might be much harder, in fact, given that most people do not have significant time and resources, never mind those available to even a small company!

Most people go after their goals haphazardly. They decide what they want to do and pick the first path that seems as if it will take them there. They do not create a plan or decide how best to use their resources, much less what to do when a roadblock occurs.

The result is that most goals are abandoned long before the seeker gets anywhere near achieving them. People get frustrated when something is not working and give up or shift to something else. This happens so often that many people expect it, and it is not even remarked upon.

Conclusion

Strategic thinking, when applied to personal goals, increases the odds of reaching those goals manyfold. It is first and foremost about planning and being deliberate in what you do rather than simply selecting the first option that presents itself.

If you apply it to your goals, you will seek out the best option, use your resources efficiently, and plan to encounter roadblocks (and how to deal with them) before they appear.

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Dominique

This article provides general information and discussion about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.