Welcome to GOAL setting 2.0 & Say Hello to SWOT planning

Welcome to my second series of Goal setting techniques & strategies. These are a bit more advanced than my previous Series Goal Setting 101.
The first in my new series is SWOT Planning, which is a method you apply BEFORE you start setting goals!!!!! 

SWOT stands for Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Basically SWOT is to help you map out (a group) or your own strengths; weaknesses, identify threats and figure out how everything all relates to opportunities.  I will show you 3 different ways SWOT can be applied - each one slightly more complicated as we go along. 

 This is an example of how to do a very simple SWOT analysis. See Strengths and weaknesses can be internal (both you as a person or within a group) where as opportunities and threats are external (outside of your control.)

1. What I want you to do is to identify some of your Strengths and some of your weaknesses.
2.  The first part in the External columns are opportunities. These can be defined as the current opportunity you have, or the opportunities that can come from this project; they can also be future things that can happen, all in all they are any advantages you may see from doing this.  
3. Lastly identify any threats that you or the project may face. These can include environmental threats, opposing mentality threats, or even inner threats you may face (Such as in your own head.) 

Now that you have your SWOT analysis you can use it to help you set your current goals & hopefully by taking a good look at yourself & fully assessing the situation you can set much more realistic goals. 

 This is a slightly more complicated SWOT Analysis. See how it creates a grid pattern where your strengths (internal) and opportunities (external) are Helpful & positive things where as the Weaknesses (Internal) & Threats (external) fall under the Harmful & negative category.

Take some time to dwell on this new SWOT analysis as you  name your strengths, identify the opportunities that are to your advantage and take a hard look at your weaknesses and identify the threats you may face that might put you at a disadvantage.

Lastly we have the most complex SWOT analysis chart. Where you have a 9x9 column. This is a bit more tricky. 

1. So why don't you fill out the top row first & identify your Strengths as well as your weaknesses. 
2. Secondly shift your attention to the far Left columns and figure out the opportunities you could benefit from & identify threats you might face. 

This is where it gets tricky

•  Next head to the middle column and fill Center Box. You will see opportunities --> Strengths strategies. Use the strengths you identified to create a plan that would allow you to take the most advantage of your opportunities!! 
• Next look at the bottom middle box where it says Threat --> Strength strategies. Use the strengths you identified to AVOID the THREATS (if you can!) 
• Lastly we will look at the far right box column, center down. 
• Opportunity --> Weaknesses strategies. This is going to become the guide to OVERCOME your weaknesses by taking advantage of your opportunities. 
• Take a look at the bottom Right Box now. 
• Threat --> Weakness Strategies. This will become your guide to how you can minimize your weaknesses to avoid threats! 

 There now you are SWOT certifed PRE- GOAL planning strategy planners :) I hope this makes sense, if not try to google the method or attempt the easiest method first before you try the more difficult ones :)