Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links below are affiliate links meaning that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you purchase something using the link. Read the full disclaimer policy here. Strategic Thinking does not come naturally to most people. That may seem like bad news, but it is not. Since thinking strategically is a learned skill, this means that anyone can learn it. All you have to do is learn the basics and practice them enough to get the hang of the skill. Here is how you do it. 1. State the goal or problem What goal are you trying to reach or what problem are you trying to solve? It is not enough to simply know in your head what you are trying to do; write it down so that you can see it and refine it as necessary. 2. Gather information on your options What are the ways you can reach this goal/solve this problem? There is more than one way to do anything. Think about all the different ways you could get what you want and write them down, then gather information on the requirements and pros and cons of each option. 3. Determine the best option Look at all of your different options and choose the one that you feel is best. Do not just pick at random -that is hardly better than not planning at all. Consider all of your resources, how best to use them, and which option is most likely to succeed. Also, take your strengths and weaknesses into account. Above all, look at what you do have, not what you wish you had. Honesty is important in this process; without it, you will fail. 4. Plan for obstacles Obstacles and roadblocks are going to occur no matter how well you plan to avoid them. So, plan to run into them and determine in advance how you will deal with them. Thinking about your response will make it easier to deal with them and make you more likely to succeed. 5. Put your plan into action You have now created a strategic plan to reach your goal or solve your problem. Congratulations! Even making the plan makes you more likely to succeed, but now comes the hardest part -putting your plan into action. A plan sitting on a shelf does no one any good. It is time to get to work. These are the basics of strategic thinking. You can apply them to any goal or problem, in your personal or professional life. The more you use this process, the better your strategic thinking skills will become.

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