So, I've been a proper strategist for about 10 months. As in I'm now paid to do it, rather than trying to muscle in on strategy chats within the agency and find a role for myself.

I've found it really tough in parts, and couldn't figure out why but this week I think I know...
I've found strategy is like swimming out to sea. You need to head out from the safety of the brief to find useful stuff and then bring it all back at the end, neatly arranged into a response.

I found at first that I couldn't swim out too far, coming back frequently afraid
that I wouldn't find my way back. That was super stressful, as to come back puts pressure on you to see how that thing you've found answers the brief specifically. Often it doesn't on its own and each time you come back you add another fragment of the story to your strat.
As I've got more at home in the role I've been more comfortable staying out for longer and exploring further before I try and figure out how it fits. It's genuinely been a revelation, trusting myself to find the link and the story in the end.

So frustrating that to be better you
just need to be more comfortable, and so counter-intuitive, but I'm chuffed I've managed to wrap my head around it.
You can follow @DomW.
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