Strategy is the bridge, but what is the Island?

Strategy is defined as the bridge between where you are and an island in the future, that links your current resources and a desired destination. But what is this island of the desired destination?

In many goal-setting sessions, the facilitator will bring up SMART goals and take you through the same old, same old way of setting goals. It is not very unique, but it works to a degree and people seem happy to have this sort of list of goals. But is this enough to develop a strategy with? I think not!

To build a future desired destination we need more than just a bunch of goals, smart or not. We need to map this landing spot for our dreams with a bit more clarity and definition to make it real enough to invite and encourage us to act and move forward. So how do we go about this? I call this process FODOS:

1. We define the desired future with as much clarity as we can. Not by standing here and looking hopefully into the future like a child through a sweet shop window. No, we have to remove ourselves from our present mentally transport ourselves to this destination and then take a look around. What does it feel like, smell like, taste like, look like? Take a stroll around and describe it in as much detail as possible. Once the destination is clear and well-defined, it is time to get back to the present.
2. The way our brains work naturally is to avoid change at all costs. It knows how to survive in the current status quo, so change is seen as a danger. As your mind begins to think of all the ways the future won’t be possible, you go there and make a list of these dangers or obstacles.
3. Now that we have the ways it won’t work, we unpack the opportunities that are known to us but yet to be realised
4. We finish up by looking internally at the current team and resources and listing the available strengths

Now we have the workings of a solid destination that is well crafted, defined and ready as a desired destination to forge ahead to.  Now we just need to build that strategy bridge.