This past week I was with two different clients who were talking about their strategic plans. Conventional wisdom these days says a strategic plan looks out three to five years and answers the questions that deal with who we are and what we do etc etc. If you want to learn more about strategic planning let me know. What I want to talk about today is the conversations in both places.

Both of these groups are tasked with looking ahead and leading their organizations into the future yet much of the conversations returned to tactical talk. In other words, they were looking at day to day and month to month types of things rather than year to year things. Minor budget items crept into the discussion. Fortunately, most of the people in the room were able to recalibrate their view when prompted.

But what about people, not organizations? I think the majority of people have some hazy idea of what they hope the future will look like but are pretty much dealing and thinking day to day and month to month. I know the economy is tough and it forces some of that thinking but I dont think this is a factor of the economy. I just think we dont do a good job of planning for the long term. Do you have a written personal mission statement? A vision statement? What about a fully funded 401K? a partially funded 401K? Have you run the numbers? Yet get my point?

I played golf with a guy the other day who lives at and is a member of Pinehurst. He is retired and is 76. He confessed, almost sheepishly, that after six years of playing alot of golf in Pinehurst he is getting bored. He stated, “there has to be more to life than this.” Good for him for recognizing it. What about the rest of us who are holding our breath hoping we get to retirement? Are you living day to day making tactical decisions or do you have a long view too? What is the plan? Are you even thinking about The Big Picture?

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