Strategic development has a far broader meaning than having a business plan.
Personal Strategic Thinking is at the core of strategic development as it addresses the crucial issue of how a person thinks about themselves in relation to their personal abilities, now and in the future.
There is a saying that most philosophers agree on, which is:
"You Become What You Think About."
And I will add the next part, which is:
So Think What You Want To Become
Become it…and don’t stop until you do!
Most of us spend a lot of energy worrying about how others think of us, which is a natural, internal, protective instinct of not wishing to be negatively judged and ultimately excluded by others. The most influential aspect upon our success, however, is in our ability to think strategically, about who we are, in a way that will place us "on the path of unlimited personal success". This also has an important self-protection feature that prevents judgment, negative thinking and exclusion from others towards us.
Concerning "you become what you think about", it is important to understand that thoughts are electrical. They can’t be seen but they are active and influence our brain all the time. The quality of our thinking determines more than anything else who we are, what we become and how we are perceived. According to what we think about, and the level of intensity in which we think, we form an electro magnetic force around us that defines and empowers us. This is a natural principle that deals in metaphysical levels, yet is nevertheless widely accepted in many professional circles as a catalytic factor that makes the difference between success and failure.
The way it practically applies to you the professional, wherever you are, is to realize that your personal strategic thinking is your main tool of success that will help you rise above your struggles and obstacles. It begins by thinking that you are much, much better than you think you are and that the well of your natural skills is full to overflowing, most of it yet to see the light of day. This is not an ego statement but rather an inner statement of personal belief and hope. It is absolutely crucial to think this way. You will find that if you persist in this way of thinking, other people will naturally respond in like fashion and opportunities will open up for you all over the place.
My suggestion is that you write these words and place them in a conspicuous place where you can repeat them every day.
This sounds simple enough, and it is, but curiously, most people don’t actually practice it. They probably dismiss it as being too simple. Unfortunately, we often have the false perception that complicated matters are more meaningful!
I would like to leave you with this idea… that Personal Strategic Thinking is the prerequisite to strategic development because it opens the mind to greater scope and perceptions which place you at the intersection of future possibilities.
Eli Harari
The Thinking Coach
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