Strategies vs. Principles: A Simple Approach to Business to Improve Your Chances of Success
Here it comes. The next big thing.
No matter what space you’re in, there’s always something new vying for your time. And this whole process has become accelerated with the Internet introducing a new social network or marketing channel practically every six months.
The problem is, constantly chasing after the next trick, shortcut, or 'lightning in a bottle' opportunity is exhausting and can easily lead you astray. In fact, if you’re not careful, it can put you out of business altogether. So what’s the alternative?
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.– Sun Tzu
Most business owners and entrepreneurs are constantly looking for a way to get ahead that involves “surface level” strategies and shortcuts. Examples include various SEO tricks, jumping on every new social network, and running giveaways to build your email list.
The problem is, these sort of strategies are typically a way to game the system or the market based on its current structure – but that can change. And it often does in an instant.
Using strategies such as this can be valuable for your business in the short term, but they’re worth nothing once the system or market changes.
That’s where principles come in. Principles can help guide the direction of your business, particularly the marketing, in the right direction and keep it from being led astray.
Why you need to create a set of principles to govern the strategies
Principles are the underlying foundation of your business. They’re the basis for how we live our life.
Going back to the examples I mentioned earlier, a principle with regards to online marketing would be:
- Provide maximum value to our target market through content that displays us as an authority
- Build an audience of raving fans
- And: Prioritize building our list, it is our #1 asset
With principles such as these in place, your efforts are constantly guided by sound decisions as opposed to being inconsistent and short-term minded. You’re not thinking about how you can game the system but rather how you can maximize each principle in the long run.
Another clear example of the difference between surface-level strategies and underlying principles would be with social media.
If you’re on Instagram, that’s a strategy – whereas the underlying principle is to maintain clear lines of communication with your target market and to provide value in the form of content that builds reciprocity and gets them to see you as an authority. If Instagram allows you to do that – great.
If another social network comes along, you don’t just jump on it right away without thinking just to build a big following and not miss out on the wave. You ask questions like:
- Is my target market hanging out here?
- How are they using the platform?
Modern-day self-published authors often fall victim to this trap. There are a ton of ways to game the system that is Amazon, but they’re changing things at such a rapid pace that by the time you get the hang of something it’s changed. Without principles in place, you feel like you’re sitting in quicksand, constantly trying to stay afloat.
However, if you’ve focused on principles like, “connect with my audience”, “maximize exposure”, “build my email list”, then you’re less likely to become distracted by these more gimmicky marketing strategies and more likely to build a stable business. Maybe you still take advantage of some of these short-term strategies, but the foundation of principles you’ve built helps guide you every step of the way.
By focusing on the underlying principles, as opposed to surface-level strategies, in our business we won’t get uprooted when things shift because we’re holding to evergreen principlesthat never change. In a way, this allows us to act more consciously as opposed to reactively.
Use this simple idea to help guide your business or brand in an age where strategies are a dime a dozen and principles are hard to come by.
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.