Hey Full Potential Zoners,
Most plans fail here— and it’s not where you think.
Clear strategy isn’t about guessing where you’re going— it’s about building a repeatable plan for getting there, step by step.
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Get personalized recommendations that understand your business needs and deliver fast results – without the endless scrolling.
If your team’s tired of guesswork— share this with them.
Then walk through it—together.
And make your next 30 days the most focused you’ve ever had.
Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:
‘Strategic Planning Blueprint'.
Let’s dive in!
Download This PDF + my Top 60+ Cheat Sheets At Bottom of Email
How to Actually Use a Strategic Plan at Work
1. You're leading a team meeting and people seem unclear on direction
Scenario: Weekly check-in turns into vague updates and scattered conversations.
Pause the room and say
"Before we go further, let’s all get clear on what success looks like. What’s the actual win we’re moving toward this quarter?"
On a whiteboard or shared doc, write down a short, clear statement that defines the current mission and objective.
Ask
"What do we already have that’s helping us — and what’s in our way?"
You’re not just aligning on goals — you’re slowing the chaos and forcing clarity.
2. You’ve been assigned a new project with no real plan
Scenario: Your boss says, Can you take the lead on this?” but gives zero structure.
Set up a 15-minute kick-off with this question:
"What’s the real reason we’re doing this? What would a win look like 60 days from now?"
Then ask:
"If we had to hit that result without adding more people or budget, what would be our first move?"
Instead of jumping into task lists, you’re anchoring to impact and constraints — which forces smarter choices from day one.
3. The team is missing deadlines and blaming unclear roles
Scenario: Fingers are pointing, people are overworked, and things are slipping.
Hold a regroup and say,
"Let’s stop assuming who’s doing what. Let’s write it down."
Open a shared doc and go task by task. Ask:
"Who owns this? Not supports it — who actually owns the outcome?"
Then say:
"If that’s you, what’s the deadline you’re confident we can all count on?"
Clarity reduces friction. When people name their deadlines out loud, they take more ownership — and others stop guessing.
4. Leadership keeps changing priorities and the team feels whiplash
Scenario: Your team starts one thing, then suddenly gets pulled in another direction.
In your next sync, ask:
"Can we agree on the top 3 objectives that matter most right now?"
Then say:
"For every new request that comes in, let’s ask: does this support one of those 3?"
If it doesn’t, write it down on a ‘next up’ list — but don’t act on it yet.
You’re not fighting leadership — you’re creating a filter. This keeps the team focused without ignoring what’s coming from the top.
Download this infographic at the end of this section
Great ideas don’t turn into income just because you read more books.
They turn into income when you take one small step that makes your idea real.
Here are 3 quick, real-life ways to use the books in today’s infographic — even if you’re just getting started:
1. Still stuck on what to sell?
Read just one chapter of The Mom Test or Start From Zero
Jot down 3 problems you’ve seen people mention online or in daily life
Ask: What could I create that solves just one of these today?
You don’t need a “great idea.” You need a clear starting point.
2. Launched before but nothing happened?
Skim one insight from Rework or Company of One
Ask: What assumption did I make that I never tested?
Post a single, direct question your audience can actually answer
A better product starts with a better conversation.
3. Ready to build something simple and real?
Go to creatyl.com and create a free account
Pick one small product idea: checklist, template, mini-guide
Use insights from The Lean Startup or $100M Offers to get it out fast
The faster it’s live, the faster you learn what works.
Want the deep dive and printable PDF? Click here
Here's how you can make it real today:
Step 1: Pick your focus
Think of one moment this week where things felt messy or unclear.
Now choose one idea from the Blueprint that could’ve helped:
Clarity
Alignment
Ownership
Simplicity
Focus
That’s your focus for today.
Step 2: Choose your action moment
Choose one time today where you’ll bring that idea into your work.
Examples:
Before a 1:1 or meeting
During project planning
While replying to a confusing message
Set a reminder or write:
“Think like a strategist today.”
Step 3: Make one strategic move
Take a small action that reflects your focus. Here are examples:
Clarity: say the goal in one clear sentence
Alignment: ask, “Is this still connected to our bigger goal?”
Ownership: say who owns the next step — and by when
Simplicity: cut one task, step, or tool that’s overcomplicating things
Focus: ask, “What’s the one thing that matters most right now?”
Just one move. Simple and visible.
Step 4: Watch what happens
Later in the day, reflect:
Did that action make things easier or clearer?
Did anyone respond differently?
Did the next step become more obvious?
Small moves can shift big things.
Step 5: End your day with this
Before bed, finish this sentence:
“Today, thinking like a strategist helped me: _______.”
or
“Next time things feel messy, I’ll remember to: _______.”
AI Prompt: “Act as a strategic thinking coach. Help me choose the right move to take today based on the Strategic Planning Blueprint.
Context: I want to make progress on a situation at work that feels unclear, stuck, or off-track — but I don’t want to overthink it.
Here’s what I need:
Ask me a few quick questions to help me spot where the real issue is (example: is it about roles, goals, or priorities?)
Based on my answers, help me choose just one focus area:
Clarity, Alignment, Ownership, Simplicity, or FocusGive me 3 simple action ideas I could try today to make things better
Suggest 1 sentence I can use in a meeting, message, or check-in to start a more productive conversation
Keep it short, simple, and something I can use right away.”
When people don’t know the real goal, they fill in the gaps.
Misalignment turns progress into noise.
You can’t delegate outcomes if you haven’t defined them.
Every hour you spend aligning saves ten down the road.
When the team sees the same target, things move.
Until next time and with lots of love,
Justin
This Week’s Growth Recommendations
Book To Read:
“The 4 Disciplines of Execution” by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling (see it here)
TED Talk to Watch:
“3 Ways to Plan For The (Very) Long Term" by Ari Wallach (see it here)
I am hosting a no-cost workshop next week, “Launch a Digital Business in 60 Minutes” - click here to save your spot.
You’ve had the idea.
Now it’s time to ship something people can actually buy.
creatyl helps you move fast — without the stress:
✅ Choose a product based on what you already know
✅ Use simple tools to build it without tech overwhelm
✅ Launch it in days — and learn from real results
You don’t need perfect.
You need published.
📑 Today’s PDF
Download today’s PDF by Clicking Here
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