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Why Your Hard Work Isn’t Working
This one shift turns effort into momentum...
Justin Mecham
May 24, 2025
Hey Full Potential Zoners!
Your plan might be flawless but still fail.
Because it’s not the plan that wins.
It’s the strategy behind it.
A plan lays out tasks and timelines, a strategy defines direction and meaning.
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Plans give you motion.
Strategy gives you meaning.
One keeps you busy.
The other keeps you aligned.
And that’s the difference between just getting things done— and actually getting somewhere.
Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:
‘Plan vs Strategy - One Sets The Steps, One Sets The Direction'.
Let’s dive in!
Download This PDF + my Top 60+ Cheat Sheets At Bottom of Email
Real-World Work Scenarios On How to Turn Any Plan Into a Strategy
1. You're Launching a New Product and Everything's on a Timeline
Scenario: Your team has 10 weeks to launch a new app feature.
Shift From Tasks to Purpose:
Instead of just checking off "Finish design," ask, “How does this feature help users solve their #1 problem?”
Cut Anything That Doesn’t Connect:
You planned 3 onboarding screens.
But only 1 directly helps users take action.
Keep that one.
Re-clarify Your North Star Weekly:
Ask every week, “Does this move us closer to solving the core user issue — or just look nice in the release notes?”
2. Your Team Keeps Missing Deadlines Despite a Solid Plan
Scenario: Your marketing team is falling behind on campaign timelines, even though the calendar is detailed.
Zoom Out & Ask "Why Now?":
Maybe the campaign isn’t urgent for your audience anymore.
Timing may matter more than the plan.
Create a “Decide to Skip” List:
Strategy means choosing what not to do.
List 3 things you’re dropping this month to focus on what actually works.
Change the Role of Deadlines:
Instead of “Did we hit the date?” ask, “Did we hit the right goal at the right time for the right people?”
3. You're Overloaded With Requests From Other Teams
Scenario: You’re a creative lead asked to design 8 new decks for 3 departments.
Don't Just Prioritize — Score Requests:
Create a 1–10 impact scale for every incoming ask.
Only greenlight anything 8 or above.
Add a Simple "Why Now" Field to Every Request:
If they can’t explain why it matters right now, it’s a task — not a strategy.
Create a Monthly “Mission Check” Call:
Review what got done, and what didn’t.
Ask: Did we move toward the bigger goal, or just stay busy?
4. You're Managing a Team But Everyone’s Working in Silos
Scenario: Each person follows their own task list, but you’re not seeing real progress.
Create a Shared Impact Map:
Don’t just show timelines — show how each person’s work connects to the same outcome.
Rebuild Meetings Around Strategy, Not Updates:
Ask: “What part of the goal are you helping move forward this week?” Not “What did you do?”
Use Fewer Metrics — but Smarter Ones:
Instead of tracking 10 numbers, pick 2 that show movement toward the real outcome.
5. You're Trying to Get a Promotion or Raise
Scenario: You’ve listed your tasks and achievements for your manager — but you’re not standing out.
Rewrite Your Work in Strategic Terms:
Instead of “Wrote 14 reports,” say “Enabled 3 teams to take faster action by clarifying key trends that resulted in ‘X, Y, Z’.”
Build a Value Story, Not a Task List:
Your plan says what you did.
Strategy says why it mattered.
Frame everything around business impact.
Prove You Think Like the Company:
Use phrases your leadership team uses.
If they care about “customer retention,” connect your work to that.
Daily Challenge
Pick one task you already planned for today.
Ask yourself: “Why does this matter in the long run?” Write down your answer in one line.
Before you start the task, pause for 10 seconds. Ask: “Is this moving me closer to what matters most — or just keeping me busy?”
Set a ‘bigger reason’ reminder. Choose one sentence you can put on a sticky note or screen like: “I’m doing this to grow trust with the team” or “This helps the bigger mission.”
During the task, stop once and ask: “Is this still the best way to get the result I want?” Strategy is flexible — adjust if needed.
When you finish, jot down what would’ve happened if you had followed the plan blindly. That contrast is what makes strategy real.
End your day by choosing one plan you want to rethink tomorrow — and write down what long-term outcome matters more than the checklist.
AI Prompt to use: “You are my personal strategy coach. I want to stop just working off a plan and start thinking more strategically. Here’s one task I’m doing today: [insert task]. Give me one question to ask before I start, one way to rethink how I’m doing it, and one way to tie it to a bigger purpose.”
People don’t get stuck because they don’t have plans — they get stuck because they don’t know why they’re doing them.
We chase tasks and timelines without checking if they still make sense.
Strategy helps you let go of what once mattered but no longer does.
Your calendar isn’t proof you’re doing the right work — it just shows you’re doing work.
You’ll never feel done if you’re working from a list with no direction.
The shift is simple: trade “How do I finish?” for “What am I really working toward?”
You’re not behind — you’re just not aiming at the right target yet.
Until next time and with lots of love,
Justin
The Story That Sparked This Edition
💡 Book to Read
“Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works” by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin (see it here)
🧠 TED Talk to Watch
“Do You Have a Strategy for Your Life?” by Karen Dillon (see it here)
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