Before you can see an opportunity, you have to be looking for an opportunity. To put our aspirations in the right direction, we need to gather, analyze and apply market trends, competition, and customer information for confident decision making. While ‘guiding purpose’ and ‘winning capability’ are the content or king of the aspiration blueprint, ‘exciting opportunity’ is the context or kingdom. This analysis (external view) helps in setting the future direction in relationship to the other two components (internal view). Here are the four key elements to understand the exciting opportunity: 1. Megatrends: These are global and macroeconomic forces that define our future and the changes ahead. They impact business, economy, society, cultures, and our personal lives. Therefore, a deep understanding of these trends and the alignment of long-range planning provides a strategic advantage. 2. Industry Trends: These are patterns within a specific industry and provide vital information to achieve competitiveness in the marketplace. These trends offer profitability, growth, innovation, competition and cooperation, and other essential data within the industry. 3. Competitive position: It is about understanding your place in the market and defining your differentiation to create value and competitive advantage. It’s about carving out a spot in the competitive landscape and aligning your guiding purpose and winning capabilities to deliver strategic objectives. 4. Customer insights: These are a deeper understanding of customer behavior that aim to increase a product or service’s effectiveness, thus increasing market share, margin, and brand. With a clear understanding of ‘exciting opportunity’ and pairing this information with ‘guiding purpose’ and ‘winning capabilities,’ you are ready to build the aspiration blueprint. Cheers!