This Is Strategy

strategy isn’t about rigid plans or fixed formulas; rather it’s a way of thinking that evolves, interacts with others, and adapts to systems. from decisions about long-term goals to understanding the dynamics of cultural and social influences, effective strategy requires clarity, adaptability, and a focus on sustainable outcomes.

while seth godin offers 297 thought-provoking “riffs” or short pieces, each providing unique insights into different aspects of strategy, we have decided to present the main ideas as a cohesive overview by condensing them into seven sections, each focused on a key theme that highlights the interplay between systems, people, and decision-making.

in this chapter, you’ll learn how to balance immediate actions with long-term vision, leverage systems to drive meaningful change, and address the barriers that challenge strategic thinking. this will help you create strategies that don’t just survive change but thrive within it.

strategy is about making deliberate choices today that lead to meaningful outcomes tomorrow. it gives you clarity about what to focus on and helps you direct your energy toward actions that align with your goals. without this sense of direction, it’s easy to get stuck merely reacting to events, rather than making real progress.

the key to effective strategy is understanding what drives the people involved. people often act based on their need for connection, recognition, or safety. whether you’re designing a product, organizing a team, or deciding how to present an idea, these motivations are central to how others respond. a strong approach aligns with these needs, creating a plan that resonates.

strategy is what shapes the overall framework, setting long-term priorities and laying a foundation for action. tactics, on the other hand, focus on specific steps to address immediate problems. if you’re planning a business expansion, the strategy might involve choosing which markets to prioritize, while the tactics could be selecting the advertising channels to use or negotiating local partnerships. without a clear strategy, your tactical decisions will lack focus, making success harder to achieve.

every plan operates within systems – structures like industries, markets, or cultural norms that shape outcomes. and while systems create stability and consistency, they also resist change. for example, educational institutions have rigid admissions criteria because these systems value tradition and reliability. working with a system – like designing a program to fit these criteria – can lead to success. fighting against it – trying to completely change those criteria overnight – is likely to drain your resources and fail.

commitment drives the ability to follow through on plans. it arises from the clarity that a strong strategy provides. when you’ve carefully chosen what to prioritize, sticking with those decisions becomes easier. this focus helps you resist distractions and take consistent actions, even when conditions change. whether you’re working with existing systems or creating new ones, this disciplined approach is the cornerstone for lasting results.

have you ever thought about why some systems feel immovable while others adapt? systems persist because they create value or stability, even when the value isn’t immediately obvious. think about the shipping container – a seemingly simple invention that revolutionized global trade. its uniformity made shipping faster and cheaper. systems like these endure because they reduce friction and make things work more efficiently.

but systems aren’t just about efficiency. they’re also cultural. wedgwood’s eighteenth-century pottery system, for example, mass-produced fine china but also introduced quality and uniformity to a growing middle class eager for refinement. these systems didn’t happen overnight – they layered onto existing societal norms and slowly reshaped them.

what keeps systems alive is their ability to maintain a balance. feedback loops are key here. positive feedback amplifies certain behaviors or outcomes, while negative feedback reins things in, creating stability. for example, a visible electricity meter can reduce energy consumption by constantly reminding homeowners of their usage. on the other hand, delayed or distorted feedback loops, like ignoring climate change warnings, can cause systems to spiral into failure.

toxic systems endure because they reward harmful behaviors. take corporations that prioritize short-term profits. these systems incentivize decisions that harm the environment or communities, yet they survive because the rewards – like stock performance – keep stakeholders invested. changing such systems requires finding leverage points. tony’s chocolonely did this by addressing ethical concerns in the chocolate supply chain, aligning its practices with consumer demands for sustainability and fairness.

working within a system often brings better results than fighting it head-on. tony’s approach worked because it leveraged existing consumer values rather than challenging the entire chocolate industry at once. contrast this with michelin’s failed introduction of puncture-proof tires. the system of garages and repair shops resisted the change because it threatened their profits, and michelin underestimated how deeply those structures were embedded.

ultimately, systems aren’t static; they evolve with time and culture. when you understand their rules and relationships, you can influence them – sometimes with small actions that lead to significant shifts, like digging a channel to redirect a river’s flow. whether you’re reshaping a supply chain or challenging harmful practices, the key lies in recognizing where to apply pressure.

how does culture shape strategy? every decision you make interacts with the values, expectations, and habits of the people around you. these social and cultural dynamics often determine whether an idea takes off or flounders. people are drawn to what feels familiar or aligns with their identity, which is why strategies that resonate with cultural norms often succeed.

sometimes, a system’s cultural influence can be powerful enough to reshape entire industries. for instance, us news & world report rankings changed the landscape of college admissions. by publishing comparative rankings, they introduced a competitive framework that colleges couldn’t ignore. institutions adapted their policies specifically to climb the list, even if those changes didn’t necessarily improve education.

cultural systems also persist because they shape how people see themselves and others. shared beliefs, like the value of exclusivity or tradition, create a sense of belonging that reinforces the system. think about purebred dog standards, where organizations like the akc set definitions that dictate breeding practices. these standards confer status but can also perpetuate harm, leading to health problems in certain breeds. despite the harm, the system endures because it aligns with identity and social reward.

sometimes, even small adjustments to metrics or visibility can disrupt cultural patterns. when the sustainable apparel coalition introduced the higg index to measure environmental and social impacts in fashion, it gave brands and consumers a clear picture of the sustainability of their choices. this transparency encouraged brands to compete not just on price or quality but also on ethical practices. by providing visibility into the unseen costs of production, this metric helped shift cultural attitudes toward sustainability.

every culture has tension points, where the status quo can be challenged. shifting how people think about metrics, or redefining what they value, can turn cultural forces into allies. strategy that engages with these dynamics doesn’t just work within a system; it reshapes it by showing people a better way forward.

strategy gives you the tools to take action in a way that’s focused, effective, and adaptable. it’s not enough to have a good idea – you need methods that show you where to focus your energy, how to make decisions, and what steps to take next. tools like frameworks, clear goal-setting, and feedback loops help you stay on track and turn plans into measurable results.

frameworks simplify complex decisions and make patterns easier to see. a positioning grid, for example, uses a two-by-two chart to compare products or ideas along two key dimensions, like price and quality. imagine plotting your product alongside competitors: if you see everyone crowded into the high-price, high-quality corner, that might reveal an opportunity in the affordable-yet-reliable space. this clarity helps you spot gaps and refine your approach. similarly, a swot analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats – lets you weigh internal and external factors, giving you a balanced perspective when making strategic decisions.

clear, measurable goals are another critical part of effective strategy. broad objectives, like “increase sales,” leave too much room for interpretation. specific targets, such as “grow online sales by 15 percent this quarter,” align everyone on the same path and make progress easy to track. without this clarity, it’s hard to know whether your efforts are working or need adjustment.

sometimes, effective strategy means learning to say no. it’s tempting to chase every opportunity, but spreading yourself too thin weakens your focus. by narrowing your priorities, you can invest your time and resources in areas that align most closely with your long-term goals.

testing and feedback loops are essential for refining your strategy. pilot programs, experiments, or small-scale launches let you gather real-world insights without overcommitting. this approach also encourages innovation, while minimizing risk and fear of failure. for instance, a startup testing a new product feature with a small group of users can learn what works, then adjust before scaling up. these cycles of testing and adjustment turn strategy into a dynamic, evolving process that adapts to changing conditions and creates stronger results.

strategic tools are most effective when they align with your goals and adapt to feedback. by combining clear priorities, actionable frameworks, and a willingness to adjust, you create a strategy that delivers meaningful, measurable results.

every strategy faces challenges and understanding those barriers is the first step to overcoming them. strategies often fail not because the ideas are weak but because of hidden obstacles or misconceptions during execution.

one common issue is mistaking goals for strategy. saying, “we want to be the market leader,” isn’t a strategy – it’s an aspiration. without a clear plan to achieve that goal, teams can end up chasing vague targets, wasting time and resources without a clear path forward.

another challenge is prioritizing short-term wins over long-term success. it’s tempting to pursue immediate gains, but decisions like offering deep discounts to boost short-term sales can erode a brand’s value in the long run. sticking to a strategy that aligns with your broader goals is harder when short-term pressures mount, but it’s essential for sustainable growth.

resistance to change is also a significant obstacle. people often resist new ideas or systems, not because they’re bad, but because they disrupt familiar routines. this resistance can stall progress, especially if the benefits of the change aren’t clear. engaging people in the process and communicating the reasons behind the change can help ease the transition.

make sure that overthinking doesn’t lead to analysis paralysis. spending too much time debating or refining plans without taking action delays progress. no strategy will ever be perfect, but strategies that adapt through action often outperform those stuck in endless planning.

barriers like these don’t mean your strategy is doomed. when you recognize and address them early, they become opportunities to strengthen your approach. clarity, focus, and adaptability are the tools that turn challenges into moments of strategic growth.

systems are powerful tools for creating change when you understand how they work and utilize their strengths. by adapting to a system’s structure instead of fighting against it, you can make progress with less resistance.

the key is finding leverage points – small actions that create big shifts. imagine a company introducing a subscription model. instead of disrupting the market, this approach builds on existing consumer habits like regular purchasing. it simplifies decisions for customers while creating predictable revenue for the business. this works because it aligns with behaviors people are already comfortable with.

scaling change requires starting small. testing an idea in one part of a system lets you see what works without overwhelming the whole structure. a city piloting electric buses in one neighborhood, for instance, can assess how they fit with current transit patterns before expanding. this approach avoids costly mistakes and provides the data needed to refine the solution.

systems often show their weaknesses at friction points – places where inefficiencies or outdated practices create roadblocks. these moments are opportunities for innovation. think about how digitizing healthcare records replaced slow, error-prone paperwork with faster, more accurate processes. by addressing these bottlenecks, systems can evolve to meet today’s needs more effectively.

collaboration is critical when working with systems. large systems rarely shift through the actions of one group alone. for example, transitioning to renewable energy depends on cooperation between governments, businesses, and consumers. shared incentives, like reduced costs or environmental benefits, make it easier to bring people on board and create widespread impact.

systems that endure aren’t rigid. they adapt alongside the people and structures they serve. when you focus on collaboration, scalability, and flexibility, you turn systems into tools for lasting, meaningful change. the best systems don’t just solve problems – they grow and improve with the world around them.

what does it take to stay relevant as the world changes? long-term strategic vision requires balancing immediate decisions with their impact on the future. by maintaining this perspective, you ensure today’s actions support sustainable success.

consider businesses that invested early in renewable energy. they recognized the shift toward sustainability before it became mainstream and positioned themselves ahead of competitors. these companies reduced costs, responded to growing consumer demand for ethical practices, and aligned with emerging regulatory pressures. their foresight allowed them to lead, instead of reacting.

staying committed to a long-term vision often involves making hard decisions. a tech company might consider entering a volatile but lucrative market. while the potential profits are tempting, the reputational damage or misalignment with broader goals could outweigh the short-term gains. resisting the allure of quick wins ensures that each step strengthens the foundation for future growth.

clarity is essential for staying on course. teams that share a clear understanding of their long-term goals avoid getting derailed by short-term pressures. for example, a business expanding into new markets can prioritize opportunities that match its strengths rather than chasing every available option. focused decisions like these allow resources to be used where they create the most value.

adapting to change strengthens any long-term strategy. when challenges arise, businesses that use setbacks to refine their approach emerge stronger. a rigid plan often fails to account for shifting markets, but a flexible strategy designed to evolve ensures continued relevance.

success in the long term depends on disciplined choices, clear goals, and a willingness to learn. when every action builds toward a larger purpose, you create a strategy that doesn’t just survive changing conditions – it thrives within them.

in this chapter to this is strategy by seth godin, you’ve learned that effective strategy is based in clarity, adaptability, and integration into systems. it balances short-term decisions with long-term vision, ensuring actions today align with future goals. by understanding cultural, social, and psychological dynamics, you can create plans that resonate with people and adapt to change.

leveraging systems can amplify impact, while clear goals, prioritization, and feedback loops refine strategies in real time. barriers like resistance to change and analysis paralysis can hinder progress, but addressing them early strengthens your approach. above all, successful strategies evolve with shifting circumstances and focus on building sustainable outcomes.

these insights show how you can move beyond formulas to create strategies that adapt, endure, and thrive in a complex, interconnected world.

okay, that’s it for this chapter. we hope you enjoyed it. if you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. see you in the next chapter.