263. How to Think Strategically: The Skill Every Great Leader Masters

In this episode of The Impossible Life Podcast, Garrett Unclebach and Nick Surface break down one of the most valuable — and rare — abilities in leadership: strategic thinking.

Most people react. Few people think. Strategic thinking is the discipline of stepping back, seeing the whole picture, and identifying what really matters so you can make decisions that have lasting impact, not just short-term comfort.

Garrett shares how this mindset has been one of his greatest assets and how learning to zoom in and out of problems changes your performance in every area of life. Nick dives into the practical tools for developing this skill, from managing your time and asking better questions to practicing reverse stress testing — simplifying until it’s not true.

If you want to stop living reactively and start leading intentionally, this episode will teach you how to think at a higher level.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• What strategic thinking really means and why it’s essential for leadership
• The 3 questions strategic thinkers always ask:
  1. Where are we? – Developing awareness and reality-based evaluation
  2. Where are we going? – Defining purpose and direction
  3. What matters most right now? – Prioritizing for maximum impact
• How to zoom in and out to gain clarity under pressure
• The art of simplifying until it’s not true — breaking complexity down without losing truth
• The difference between planning and plans — how to adapt when things change
• Why imagination and evaluation are the hidden engines of great leadership

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