Tactics Vs Strategy
Welcome back to the Strategy Course on Study Buddy Shareline.
In our first lesson, we explored what strategy really is. Now, let’s clear up one of the biggest confusions people have: the difference between tactics and strategy.
At first, they may look similar—but once you understand the difference, you’ll realize why most people stay stuck at tactics while successful people operate at the level of strategy.”
What are Tactics?
“Tactics are the specific actions you take.
Strategy is the overall plan that guides those actions.
Think of it this way:
- Strategy answers Why and Where to go.
- Tactics answer How and What to do next.
Without strategy, tactics are just random movements. With strategy, tactics become powerful tools to reach your goal.”
Understand this by an Example
“Let’s imagine two friends want to get healthy.
- Friend A wakes up every day and does random workouts—sometimes running, sometimes yoga, sometimes nothing at all.
- Friend B sets a clear goal: I want to lose 5 kilos in 3 months. Then designs a plan—3 gym sessions per week, a balanced diet, and tracking progress weekly.
Now, both are doing activities. Both are using tactics. But only Friend B has connected those tactics to a bigger picture. That’s the difference between a bunch of actions… and a true strategy.”
Confusion of Being Busy vs Being Strategic
“Most people confuse being busy with being strategic.
They’ll say, ‘I studied 8 hours today,’ but studied without direction.
They’ll say, ‘I answered 50 emails,’ but didn’t actually move their project forward.
That’s being tactical, not strategic. Strategy forces you to ask:
👉 ‘Am I doing the right things?’
Not just:
👉 ‘Am I doing things?’”
Origen of Terms
“In fact, the words ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ originally come from the military.
Strategy was about winning the war—the big vision.
Tactics were about winning the battles—the small moves.
You can win many battles but still lose the war if you don’t have a strategy.
And in life, the same applies: you can be winning small tasks daily, but if they don’t connect to your bigger purpose, you’re not really progressing.”
Your Turn
“Now I want you to pause and reflect:
👉 In your daily life, what are the tactics you use?
Maybe studying chapters, answering emails, exercising, or networking.
👉 And what is the strategy behind them?
Is there a clear bigger picture? Or are you just stacking random actions?
Write down one example where you’ve been tactical but not strategic—and think about how to connect it to a larger plan.”
Recap
“So, let’s recap today’s lesson:
- Tactics are short-term actions.
- Strategy is the long-term direction.
- You need both, but strategy always comes first.
In the next lesson, we’ll go deeper into vision and goal setting—because strategy always begins with a clear goal.
Until then, remember this line:
✨ Tactics win battles. Strategy wins wars.
Thank you for listening, and I’ll see you in the next lesson