(This was my response to the above question on Quora)
There has to be a goal around which the resources, strategies and plans should be aligned. Of course, because you have a goal and a plan does not mean that everything will go according to the plan. That’s where responding to in-market realities comes in. And that’s why you need a goal and a plan to achieve that goal.
The plans and the milestones in that plan are your markers which allow you to assess your strategies as well as the goals and help you make adjustments in your plans as you go forward.