How to Become a Strategic Thinker

Are you flexible? And I'm not talking about whether you can touch your forehead to your knees. If you can, that's great. However, I'm talking about having a flexible mindset. An assumption about strategic thinkers, is that they are rigid and unbending when it comes to their thought process. That is absolutely not true! You need to be able to envision a plan, start executing it, and then have the ability to put the brakes on, so that you can shift your direction for success.

Keep an eye on your goal timelines and you will be able to spot the moments when it is time to do some strategic thinking. If you pay attention to what you are feeling, whether you are making daily progress towards your goals, you will know when it is time for a course correction. Strategic thinking will help you determine where and when you need to refocus. When you engage your mind in strategic thinking, you eliminate the panic that might set in once you realize your goals are not moving you forward.

Strategic thinking means that you engage the whole brain, rather than just the logical side. This can be difficult for some of you left-brained folks! But there are exercises you can do to learn how to engage the whole brain. I've included that information in this post.

Whole brain thinking allows you to put a problem under a microscope, examining it using critical and analytical thinking. As you write lists and plan goals, you will use strategic thinking to come up with timelines. This helps to chunk your goals into smaller steps and come up with resources to help you with the steps.

You might think that strategic thinkers are workaholics. Wrong. The best strategic thinkers take breaks throughout their day. Some even take 15-20 minute power naps to recharge their body and mind. They don’t rush headlong into their daily tasks but take time to plan and adapt. Nap time anyone?

To really become a strategic thinker, you must learn to adapt new ways of thinking. Always be a student who is willing and excited to learn new things! Strategic thinkers not only learn new things but they also learn how to cut out the elements that are not moving them forward and replace them with better options.

Are you ready to learn how to be a strategic thinker and make your goals rock? I'm a gamer. So of course I would use games to help me train my brain to think strategically. Here is a list of games/apps that are very popular, and they are sure to help exercise your mind.

1. Rosetta Stone produces the best language training in the world. It has revolutionized the industry. Did you know they have a brain game? It’s called Fit Brain and when you check out the website, you will note that the games are designed by neuroscientists and gaming experts. And the games are quick. You don’t have to put an hour into training your brain everyday. Just pick a comfortable game length and flex those brain cells.

2. Think you have what it takes to be a business tycoon? Check out one of the 25 Best Tycoon Games. These games are guaranteed to make you THINK!

3. The Archimedes Laboratory Project is stuffed with activities that you can use to enhance your creativity and your critical thinking. 

4. Finally let’s look at game that I know you will enjoy playing. This game makes me use parts of my brain that I didn’t know existed. “Braid,” is a time bending puzzle game where worlds behave differently, and you must master an uncharted world.

Strategic thinking is a something that we should all cultivate. It is extremely useful not only in planning and executing you goals but in every facet of your life.