With some much volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity in our world, you should be taking some time to do personal strategic thinking and strategic planning. Doing it will improve your career satisfaction and success and make you happier.

Start by knowing the differences between strategic thinking and strategic planning.

The pillars of personal strategic planning are mindset, means, motivation, model and monitoring your status.

MINDSET

Here are some mindset maps from Kevin Johnson:

• All risk isn’t risky. Entrepreneurs surely understand the high probability of failure, but they don’t necessarily like to gamble. Instead, they take calculated risks, stacking the deck in their favor. They must have enough confidence in themselves, supplemented by expert knowledge, solid relationships, or personal wealth, to see the risk as near zero.
• Business comes first, family second. This view isn’t a selfish one, but a recognition by serious entrepreneurs that family well-being is dependent on the success of the business, not the other way around. This is why airlines ask you to put on your oxygen mask first. Should you forego closing a million dollar deal to attend a ball game with your son?
• Following your passion is bogus. Look for a good business model first. Your passion may be for a good cause, like curing world hunger, but it may not be a good business. In any young business, you inevitably find things that are not enjoyable, but need to be done, like cold calls or firing unproductive employees. Just doing fun things is a myth.
• It’s not about being your own boss. Great entrepreneurs aren’t interested in being bosses at all. People who crave the freedom to do what they want when they want generally make terrible entrepreneurs. In order to be a successful entrepreneur, discipline is a must, and accept your new bosses as investors, partners, and customers.
• Fire your worst customers. We have all had customers who take advantage of us, to the detriment of other good customers. The best entrepreneurs are quick to make the tough decisions to bypass bad customers, with proper respect, to minimize frustration, resource drain, and reputation loss. You can’t please everyone all the time.
• Ignorance can be bliss. It’s great to be highly familiar with the industry in which you plan to compete, but many times people see too many challenges, and never start. In other cases, entrepreneurs are opening up new business areas, so no one yet knows the challenges. Serious entrepreneurs trust their ability to beat a new path to the opportunity.
• You’re in no rush to get an MBA. If you are already an entrepreneur, more education, including an MBA, will only slow you down. Consider it a waste of time. If you plan to become an entrepreneur, and already have business experience or an undergraduate business degree, skip the two-year delay and cost of the MBA.
• You are odd, and it’s OK. Entrepreneurs, especially those in technology, usually don’t start out as well-rounded, well-adjusted leaders. In fact, being odd is quite the norm. According to other studies, attention-deficit disorder (ADD) is common, as well as host of other personality disorders. It’s actually cool to be a geek in this lifestyle.
• A check in hand means nothing. Every entrepreneur remembers their naïve days when that first customer check bounced. When you receive a new purchase order, a check, a verbal agreement, or even a written agreement, don’t get too happy and excited. Save the celebration until you have cold cash in hand, or the funds are verified.
• There’s no such thing as a cold call. If you are an elite entrepreneur, you don’t go into anything cold. With the Internet and a plethora of other resources, you can warm up any call quickly, and not waste your time or theirs. Doing your homework first is one of the best ways to get an advantage over your competition.

MEANS

Your toolbox should include 1) entrepreneurial competencies, 2) financial security, 3) people and emotional intelligence skills, 4) wellbeing and entrepreneurial habits

MOTIVATION

There are several extrinsic (environmental), social, ecomomic and intrinsic (psychological) determinants of entrepreneurial success.

Intrinsic determinants are those that satisfy a healthy or unhealthy psychic or emotional need and having the right mindset.

Extrinsic (environmental) determinants include education and training, early work experience, immigrant status or background, and a family history of entrepreneurship

Economic determinants are the tangible and intangible benefits compared to tangible and intangible real and opportunity costs of entrepreneurship

Social and cultural determinants include the stage of development of a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem, equitable access to resources, a culture of risk taking, reward systems and the availability of opportunity for women.

You will need to discover your intrinsic motivation to succeed. Make it personal but don’t take it personally. Here are the problems with legacy leaving. Just watch “Succession”.

MODEL

You need to create a personal value proposition and it should be part of your personal business model canvas. Like marketing a product or service, you will need to execute a strategy that will help you get, keep and grow your personal brand.

MANAGEMENT

Follow the 6Rs of career transitioning. Are you interested in a non-clinical career or job? Here is your guide.

MONITORING

Now people are creating jungle gym careers instead of climbing the corporate ladder. Here’s why the jungle gym concept is more important now than ever: The world is ever more fast-changing and unpredictable, and the rung above you on the traditional “career ladder” may not be a stable or safe rung.

As people live longer, healthier lives, the traditional 40-year career will become a thing of the past. Here comes the 60 year career,

But that’s going to require a new mind-set—and a lot more planning.

Periodically reassess your career satisfaction and decide whether to pivot, persevere or punt.

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs