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Start for freeEmbracing Strategy for a Fulfilled Life
In the hustle and bustle of everyday existence, we often overlook the strategic planning that could lead us to a more fulfilled life. Rainer Strack, an expert from the Boston Consulting Group, introduces a thought-provoking concept: Strategize Your Life. This approach borrows the principles of corporate strategy and adapts them to personal life management, aiming to guide individuals towards crafting a life strategy on a single page.
From Boardroom Tactics to Personal Triumphs
Strack's background in both physics and management consulting has led him to appreciate the cross-application of strategies from one domain to another. Taking cues from corporate strategy, whose goal is to position an organization to win, he has redefined success in the context of personal life. The essence of life strategy, according to Strack, is making an integrated set of choices that set a person on the path to living a great life.
The Seven-Step Program
The transformation from vague aspirations to a concrete life strategy involves seven detailed steps:
- Defining Success: Determine what a great life means to you on a personal level.
- Purpose Identification: Reflect on your life's purpose.
- Vision Setting: Envision the life you aim to lead.
- Assessing Life Portfolio: Evaluate the various aspects or 'strategic life units' of your life.
- Learning from Best Practices: Gain insights from successful practices and benchmarks.
- Making Life Portfolio Choices: Decide on the allocation of your time, energy, and resources.
- Ensuring Sustained Change: Develop strategies for consistent and lasting improvements.
Beyond Money, Fame, and Power
The pursuit of money, fame, and power is often seen as the ultimate goal, but Strack argues that these are not the true determinants of a great life. To offer a more comprehensive model, he references the PERMA-V framework from positive psychology, proposed by Professor Seligman:
- P for Positive Emotions
- E for Engagement
- R for Relationships
- M for Meaning
- A for Achievement
- V for Vitality
Investing in Strategic Life Units
Strack suggests considering 'strategic life units' (SLUs) where one can invest time, money, and energy. These units comprise various facets of life such as relationships, health, career, and hobbies. He advises to evaluate these SLUs for time allocation, importance, and satisfaction, and to then plot them in a 2-by-2 matrix—coined the strategic life portfolio—to visualize where changes are needed.
The Journey to a Great Life
By adjusting the parameters of importance, satisfaction, and time invested in each SLU, individuals can move toward achieving a life that aligns with their definition of greatness. Strack provides the example of Tony, an engineer, who identified his urgent SLUs and reallocated his time to address areas of dissatisfaction.
Crafting Your Own Strategy
The ultimate goal is to develop a life portfolio that supports your life's purpose and vision. Strack reminds us, citing Seneca, that a clear direction is essential even in uncertain times, and that luck often results from being well-prepared when opportunities arise.
In conclusion, the Strategize Your Life concept is not just about planning; it's about actively shaping your life to mirror your deepest values and aspirations. It's a dynamic process that combines self-reflection with actionable strategies to help you live not just any life, but a great one.
If you're ready to take control and strategize your life, begin by defining what a great life means to you, and embark on the seven-step journey to fulfillment. Remember, as Strack highlights, it's not just about the destination but the strategic moves you make along the way.
