Strategic Intent

Biological Parallel

Migratory Arctic terns commit to flying 44,000 miles annually from Arctic to Antarctic—a strategic intent set by evolutionary optimization, not current capability. Juvenile terns can't complete the journey initially, but the species invests in building range incrementally across generations. Strategic intent in biology means committing to a fitness peak visible on the horizon, then systematically building the capabilities to reach it, even when current state makes the goal seem impossible.