5 Prompts to Unlock Your Future Strategy
I designed these prompts to help my clients and partners think beyond conventional planning and tap into more creative, scenario-based strategic thinking. Each one approaches uncertainty from a different angle, from scenario planning to reverse engineering success to finding opportunities within constraints.
The beauty of these prompts is that they work whether you are an entrepreneur, corporate professional, freelancer, or anyone trying to navigate career or business decisions during uncertain times. They encourage you to think systemically rather than just tactically, which tends to unlock more innovative strategies.
1. The Scenario Planning Prompt
"I'm facing uncertainty in [your industry/situation]. Help me create three distinct scenarios for the next 2-3 years: a 'business as usual' scenario, a 'challenging downturn' scenario, and an 'unexpected opportunity' scenario. For each scenario, identify the key assumptions, potential triggers, and what strategic moves I should consider to either protect or capitalize on each situation."
2. The Reverse Engineering Prompt
"Imagine it's 3 years from now and I've achieved remarkable success in [your field/goal]. Work backwards with me: What specific capabilities, relationships, and strategic positions would I need to have built? What key decisions would I have made differently? What opportunities would I have seized that others missed? Help me create a roadmap from that future success back to today."
3. The Adjacent Opportunity Prompt
"I currently operate in [your current space/role]. Analyze the adjacent markets, skills, or opportunities that are close enough to my current position that I could realistically pivot or expand into them. What emerging trends or shifts could I ride? What would be the minimal viable steps to test these adjacent opportunities without abandoning my current strengths?"
4. The Constraint Breakthrough Prompt
"I feel stuck because of [your main constraint - time, money, skills, market conditions, etc.]. Help me reframe this constraint as a strategic advantage. How have others in similar situations turned this exact limitation into a competitive edge? What unconventional approaches could I take that work specifically because of, not despite, this constraint?"
5. The Future-Back Visioning Prompt
"Assume that in 5 years, the way people [work/buy/communicate/solve problems] in my field has fundamentally changed. Help me identify what skills, relationships, and strategic positions would make me invaluable in that future landscape. What should I start building now that others aren't paying attention to yet? What current 'best practices' should I be prepared to abandon?"
Use these prompts as starting points for deeper strategic conversations. The key is to engage with the responses, ask follow-up questions, and adapt the insights to your specific context.
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