Let me start to ask you this question, what strategy have you implemented so far and why? You have 30 seconds to do that, lol. You can take your time to think on it.
Here we go, know this fact that everyone around you is a strategist and directly or indirectly their interest is channel towards attaining power. In a bid to promote their interests, often at your expense. But don't make this mistake of battling with them and neglecting the only thing that really matters: which is victory in the end, the greater achievements, the lasting power.
Meanwhile, what you ought to be doing as a strategist is looking beyond the battle and calculating ahead. It will require that you focus on the ultimate goal and constantly plot to reach it. In this situation, you must consider all things and the long term consequences of what you do or might do.
Humans have shown a high traits of complexity compared to animals from time to time. Meanwhile, the key to this evolutionary advancement was their powers to envision, language, and the ability to reason (rational thinkers).
Somewhere along the line, humans stopped evolving as rational thinkers. Despite the progress, there is always this conflict between the rational and the animal character in human, they are constantly at war.
Although, the Greeks was able to recognize the potential and possibilities for human growth. Those are people who are able to see beyond others, and to control their animal nature and think before they act. They are humans who are deeply rooted in the Grand strategy, those that can use their reasoning powers effectively.
It is glaring that humans can be quickly sway off their tracks when these things happens; if they are successful, they get complacent and make mistakes, if they are faced with setbacks - and setbacks are inevitable, which drain and overwhelmed them.
What then distinguish a Grand strategist from other strategist?
It is their ability to focus, and look more deeply into both themselves and others, to understand and learn from the past and to have a clear sense of the future, to an extent that it can be predicted.
What does it take to be a grand strategist?
In a world, where people are increasingly incapable of thinking consequentially, and outsmart the animals, the practice of Grand strategy will instantly pave way for you above others.
To become a grand strategist, all you need to do is simple. Make use of what you have, that is, your mind, your rationality, and your vision etc.
From the military point of view, it reveals that the key to grand strategy - the thing that separates it from simple, garden - variety - is its particular quality of foresight and forethought. Grand strategists think and plan further into the future before taking action.
These are the four cardinal principles of Grand strategy and the more you practice them, the better the results. They are in inverted commas.
“Have a target for the greater goal”. The step that will ensure everything else fall into place is to begin with a clear, purposeful goal in mind, one rooted in reality
“Broaden your horizons and perspective”. Grand strategy is base on vision, of seeing further in time and space than the enemy does. The task of any strategists is to force himself or herself to widen his/her view, to take in more of the world around him.
“Sever the roots”, sometimes the real source of a problem is hard to grasp. In order to work out a grand strategy against an enemy, you have to know what motivates him or is the source of his power.
“Be indirect with your plans and goals in life.”
STRAT XIII
Don't lose the War but win the War
It is a common mistake in going to war to begin at the wrong end, to act first and to wait for the disaster to discuss the matter. - Thucydides
No grand strategists starts a war by losing it. That is, strategists are not in haste or too quick to make decisions. They go through a thorough process, deep thinking and futuristic analysis of their actions before acting less their actions can cost an entire plans to crumble.
