The 3 principles of strategic living

1. Purpose. The most important principle. This defines your aspirations and your core values – what you want and what you stand for. Without purpose, your actions will have no direction, and therefore no control. You’ll be simply reacting to the advice of friends, experts, bloggers, newscasters, etc. Set your purpose now and take control of where you are headed.
2. Preparation. Preparation involves building your skills, knowledge, relationships, experience, and resources. There are two aspects to preparation. First is preparing to take advantage of opportunities that could advance your position (e.g. a job opportunity or investment). The second aspect is preparing against obstacles or dangers that might put you in a bad position (e.g. losing a job or getting into a car accident).
3. Progress. Progress means accumulating as many advantages as you can to move forward in your purpose, no matter how big or small the opportunity is. Any little notice you get at your job helps your positioning there. Any little bit of money you can put away into savings helps build your savings. Any new tidbit you can learn can help you grow. If it helps your position, you should take it.

Each of these principles works off the others. You cannot make real progress unless you are prepared, and you cannot be prepared unless you know the general direction (purpose) of your efforts.

Likewise, you may progress in a certain area and realize you want to adjust your purpose. You may realize that what you really want to do is not be debt-free, but to send money to your savings. Or you may not want to get a promotion, but to get a new job.

These three principles make up the foundation of strategic living. Once you know your purpose, prepare yourself for the best and worst, and take as many little victories as you can, you’ll gradually create wonders in your life.