Ever feel like you are constantly busy, checking off tasks, but not really moving the needle on your biggest goals? You are not alone. Many of us get caught in the whirlwind of daily demands, mistaking activity for progress. We set ambitious goals, dive headfirst into work, and then wonder why, months later, we are still in the same spot, or worse, feeling burnt out.
What if there was a way to ensure your efforts consistently lead to meaningful outcomes? What if you could transform your aspirations into a clear, actionable roadmap, whether you are building a business, advancing your career, or simply trying to get in better shape? The answer lies in strategic planning. And no, this is not just for Fortune 500 companies or high-powered executives. Strategic planning is a powerful, five-step process that anyone can use to achieve their goals with greater clarity and a higher success rate.
My co-host, Brooks Duncan, often shares stories from his corporate days, where “strategic planning” meant endless meetings in stale conference rooms, eating the same sandwiches, and talking about things everyone knew would never actually happen. We want to assure you, this is not that. Our approach is simple, actionable, and designed to help you create a genuine roadmap from where you are right now to where you truly want to be. It is goal setting on steroids, but without the corporate jargon.
We have broken it down into five essential steps: Vision, Research, Strategy, Execution, and Review. You might already be doing some of these, but by intentionally applying each step, you can dramatically increase your chances of success.
Step 1: Vision – Where Are You Headed?
Vision is more than just a vague dream; it is about getting crystal clear on your destination. What is your goal? What is the specific outcome you are aiming for? What does this destination look like, feel like, and how can you measure it? The more specific you are about your vision, the better your chances of success.
One common mistake people make is keeping their vision too ambiguous. For example, saying, “I want to be rich” is a great aspiration, but it is not specific enough. “Rich” means different things to different people. A more effective vision would be, “I want to have $100,000 saved in my savings account.” That is measurable, tangible, and easy to visualize.
I have made this mistake myself plenty of times. Early on, I might have said, “I want to be in amazing shape.” But what does that actually mean? For me, it evolved into, “I want to be able to look myself in the mirror and have a six-pack,” which then translated into a measurable goal like, “I want my body fat percentage to be under 15%.”
Brooks experienced this too when he envisioned leaving his corporate job to start an online business. While he knew he wanted to work online, the lack of specificity led him down many paths he could have avoided. Had he defined what success truly meant for his online venture, his journey would have been much smoother.
When we started Asian Efficiency, it was a passion project, not a business. Our initial “vision” was simply to blog every week about productivity. There was no grand plan. It accidentally became a business because we were consistent. But imagine how much faster we could have grown with a clear, measurable vision from day one.
What does true success look like for you, in concrete, measurable terms?
Step 2: Research – Gathering Your Intelligence
This is a step that often gets missed, and I am the first to admit we have skipped it many times ourselves. We would set a goal for a quarter, dive in, and two weeks later realize we had overestimated or chosen the wrong path. Adding a dedicated research phase significantly increases your odds of success.
Research is about gathering information to inform your plan. It is not about executing right away, especially for those of us who are quick-start people. Start simple: Google is your friend. But go beyond that. Talk to people who have already accomplished what you want to achieve. If you want to get in amazing shape, talk to a personal trainer or a friend who has transformed their body. Ask them: Is this goal possible? Is it realistic in this timeframe? What are the shortcuts? What are the pitfalls?
When you talk to people who have walked the path before you, you gain invaluable insights and avoid common mistakes. I once had a business goal I was excited about, but after talking to three smart people I paid for their advice on Clarity.fm, they all said, “Tan, that is a terrible idea. Do not do that.” Their collective wisdom saved our company a whole quarter of wasted time, resources, and thousands of dollars. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it was worth it.
Brooks also leveraged this. When he was figuring out his online business, he did “lightning sessions” with coaches to get quick answers and avoid missteps. Even if you do not have a network of experts, the internet offers endless possibilities. YouTube, online forums like our Dojo community, or even a simple Facebook post asking for advice can yield incredible insights.
As Brooks often says, “If you are trying to decide between two options, there is always a third option that you have not thought of yet.” Research helps you uncover those hidden “third options,” giving you more choices and a clearer path forward. It also helps you identify any missing skills you might need to acquire to reach your goal.
Who has already achieved what you are aiming for, and what can you learn from their journey?
Step 3: Strategy – Charting Your Course
Once you have a clear vision and you have gathered all your intelligence through research, it is time to develop your strategy. This is the “how” – the actual plan that takes you from where you are right now to your desired destination.
Think of it this way: if your vision is to reach Rome, your research might tell you that you can get there by train, plane, or even walking. Your strategy is choosing the best mode of transport based on your current location and resources. If I am in Florence, walking to Rome is a realistic option. If Brooks is in Vancouver, walking is definitely not. His strategy would involve flying, or perhaps a combination of travel methods.
This highlights a crucial point: your current situation profoundly impacts your strategy. If you want to save $100,000, your plan will be vastly different if you currently have $90,000 versus $0. Understanding your starting point, your available leverage, and your income situation is paramount. It allows you to prioritize options and boil them down to the single most effective plan for you.
Brooks applied this by hosting a low-cost paid phone call to gauge interest in his business idea. This allowed him to understand his starting point – how many people were willing to pay for his expertise – before investing heavily in a full-blown business. This kind of “gap analysis” is essential: knowing where you are helps you truly define the gap you need to bridge.
Part of your strategy should also include how you will measure success and track your progress. For my fitness goals, my strategy involved not just working out, but meticulously tracking my waist size, ketone levels, and blood sugar. I even started with a DEXA scan to establish a baseline and planned quarterly scans to review my progress. This allowed me to see if my efforts were actually working or if I needed to adjust my approach.
Finally, a robust strategy anticipates roadblocks. What could go wrong? What are the potential pitfalls? While you cannot account for every “black swan” event, thinking through potential challenges allows you to build in contingencies or Plan B options. This foresight makes your plan more resilient.
What is your unique starting point, and how does that shape the most effective path forward for you?
Step 4: Execution – Making It Happen
With a clear vision, thorough research, and a well-defined strategy, it is time to do the work. Execution is where the rubber meets the road. It is about consistently taking action and making progress towards your goal.
One key aspect of effective execution is addressing potential roadblocks early. If you are leading a team and realize certain members lack the skills for a task, proactively provide training or resources. We have learned this at Asian Efficiency over the years. When planning a quarter, we now consider team availability and skill sets, adjusting our execution plans to account for vacations or areas where we need to build expertise. This foresight has significantly improved our ability to hit our goals.
Regular check-ins are also vital. For us, this means daily scores and two-week sprints. By consistently tracking key metrics – like the number of people in our Dojo community – we can see if we are on track. If a trend line starts moving in the wrong direction, we know we need to make adjustments quickly. This prevents small deviations from becoming major problems.
For my fitness journey, I weigh myself and measure my waist every morning. I log everything I eat in MyFitnessPal. These daily check-ins provide immediate feedback. If the trend lines are moving in the right direction, I know my activities are effective. If not, I can adjust my nutrition, sleep, or workout intensity. Visualizing these trends on a graph is incredibly powerful; it provides context and prevents “freak out moments” over a single bad day.
Brooks also ties his goals to existing events to aid execution. For his epic train journey, he planned it around his wife’s work trip to Asia. While her trip was canceled, he had already committed and bought tickets, demonstrating how tying a new habit or goal to an existing routine can help you follow through.
Are your daily actions truly moving you closer to your long-term vision, or are you just busy?
Step 5: Review – Learning and Adapting
The final, and arguably most crucial, step is review. Whether you achieved your goal or fell short, taking the time to review your efforts is the biggest opportunity for growth. If you find yourself making the same mistakes repeatedly, it is likely because you are not reviewing enough.
At Asian Efficiency, we consistently ask three questions during our reviews: What went well? What did not go well? What could be done better next time? These questions force us to move beyond initial opinions and uncover the true lessons from our experiences. You might think something went poorly, but a thorough review might reveal unexpected successes. Conversely, something you thought was great might have hidden inefficiencies.
My quarterly DEXA scans are a perfect example of this. After one quarter of intense workouts and increased calorie intake, I expected significant muscle gain. The scan showed I had lost body fat, but my lean muscle mass remained the same. I was surprised and frustrated. But by reviewing the results with my personal trainer, I learned the missing piece: I needed to eat even more food, specifically the right kind of food. The next quarter, after adjusting my calorie intake, the DEXA scan showed significant muscle gain. This breakthrough only happened because of the review process.
Brooks will apply this after his trans-Siberian railway trip. He will ask: Did the vision of epic train journeys still make sense? Did he enjoy it? What could have been better? This review will inform whether he continues pursuing this goal or adjusts his vision entirely.
Reviewing allows you to extrapolate lessons from both successes and setbacks. It informs your next planning session, refining your vision, research, and strategy. It is how you get naturally better over time. Our execution at Asian Efficiency has improved dramatically over eight years, not because we are perfect, but because we consistently review our sprints and learn from every experience.
What hidden lessons are waiting to be uncovered in your past efforts, both successes and setbacks?
Your Blueprint for Unstoppable Progress
Strategic planning is not a one-time event; it is a continuous cycle of learning and refinement. By intentionally applying these five steps – Vision, Research, Strategy, Execution, and Review – you transform vague aspirations into tangible achievements. It is how you stop guessing and start growing, consistently moving closer to your most important goals.
Pick one area in your life or work where you want to see significant progress. Now, walk through these five steps. Define your vision with extreme clarity. Research thoroughly, seeking insights from those who have succeeded. Craft a strategy that accounts for your unique starting point. Execute with discipline, tracking your progress. And most importantly, review relentlessly, extracting every lesson to fuel your next cycle of growth.
