I usually plan on losing, and this certainly starts before the first move.
I have really enjoyed reading Silman, and there is probably something to his assertions about the opening and how it should be played. I must admit, I'm mostly just snapping out moves until I don't recognize the position, then I start looking for a plan.
Eventually, whether I find a good plan or not, I accomplish a lost position. It simply comes natural to me.
But I build a plan in my head when my opening knowledge is exhausted or when I don't see any natural moves. Often times I find i'm too late. I should plan to plan earlier.
The eternal chess question is at what move does one really strategically plan ?
Jeremy Silman seems to suggest from the first move - he says the opening is the plan to create imbalances. And again through inference, the imbalances provide the basis for a second plan ( which maybe different from the first plan ).
Hard to imagine planning from the first move since there is nothing by which the opponent can offer to plan by.
Sunil Weeramantry says unequivocally that strategic planning should start after the opening has concluded.
What do you think ?