I'm excited for this one, so I'm just gonna dive right in. I was recently introduced to a new way of organizing and breaking down company goals (yay we love ~BUSINESS SCHOOOOL!~). The strategy comes from the book Breakthrough Marketing Plans written by Tim Calkins and looks at how to structure overall company goals & objectives into A) strategies and B) tactics.
In this framework, strategies can be defined as the more general approach to achieving our goals as a company (longer-term and higher-level). Tactics can be defined as the specific actions that we will take to execute the general strategy (shorter-term and more detailed). When combined, these two concepts come together to form what is, in my opinion, a pretty solid way to approach new goals you are hoping to achieve. And you need both of them, the higher-level and lower-level, together in order to be successful in your approach.
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
--SUN TZU, Chinese Strategist (545 BC)
For me, this distinction between the big picture and the small is totally awesome. I love me a solid 'lil framework to mess around in and use to organize my thought process in a more intuitive way. The G.O.S.T. (goals, objectives, strategies, tactics) Framework is most definitely being added to my toolbelt of handy business models that I can rely on to set up a clear, concise, and comprehensible plan for just about anything... whether it relates to a business problem or not!
I'm a sucker for sculpting and changing concepts to fit my frame of thinking and the GOST Framework is no exception. As I learned more about the usability of the model, I realized how helpful the method could be to me right now in my personal life. I am a graduating college senior about to launch into what I hope will be an interesting and successful career. I, just like so many of my collegiate peers, have a somewhat rough idea of what I envision my next steps in life to look like. Not everything is solidified nor fully planned out, but I've got goals that I'd like to try and accomplish post-graduation.
So insert the GOST Framework. After practicing its helpful structure on a handful of company-specific and business-related issues, I decided there's no reason why I couldn't do the same for my own personal goals and objectives.
Life is (at best) a chaotic mess and trying to make sense of everything is tough work. So I'm challenging myself (and you!) to lay a framework over the constant chaos and sort your life goals into categories that lead to action and clarity. And maybe the GOST Framework can be the one to help you make sense of life's chaotic mess.
Onwards.