SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
It’s common practice for businesses, large organizations and individuals who are launching products or services to be prepared.
It’s almost unimaginable to see a large company launch a product or service, completely unaware of what the market demands.
In fact, in college my marketing professors drilled the importance of strategic analysis into our heads.
Assigning us various companies to research, asking us to perform a SWOT Analysis for each of them. This analysis focused on the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
I was thinking back to these assignments I did years back, the in-depth studying about businesses I’ve never even worked for.
What I realized is my teachers forgot the mention the most important analysis of all. It just dawned upon me that I missed the most important analysis of all.
Taking time analyzing my individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, just as thorough as I did for companies like IBM, Microsoft, Chase Bank and Starbucks.
Through this self-analysis, we get to know ourselves better.
Finding Our Strengths
What are your true strengths?
What are the things you’re exceptionally gifted at?
When you spark up a conversation with someone you meet for the first time and they ask you about your strengths and uniques abilities, what do you tell them?
I ask you these questions because it wasn’t too long ago that I didn’t know what my true strengths were. Subconsciously it was like I decided my strengths were what other people told me my strengths were.
But as I’ve spent time in the peace and presence of my own being, exploring the depths within myself, I’ve slowly uncovered where my true strength lies.
In the same way that I had to sit down for hours on end to complete and discover the strengths for a business like IBM or Starbucks, you and I must sit with the stillness and presence within ourselves to uncover our individual strengths.
Take time this week to inwardly know where your greatest strengths dwell.
Pinpointing Weaknesses
It’s not always the easiest for us admitting the areas where we suffer. It’s not every day that we spend time recognizing where our true weaknesses lie within ourselves. But for those of us that do, consciously, we’re able to intentionally replace those areas of weakness with our strengths.
I used to be the kind of person who would never admit to my weaknesses. Instead, I acted like I was strong in all areas of life.
Well, I quickly found out that wasn’t true. You and I don’t have to be the master of all things. Actually if we do try to master everything, we become average at all of them.
By pinpointing our weaknesses, we not only know the areas where we need help, but better know our strengths; the areas of our lives where we should focus our attention, our time and energy.
Take time to know the areas in life where you’re weak. That doesn’t make you a weak person, but helps you better know yourself.
In the same way Starbucks focuses on their strengths coffee, they immediately knew that they didn’t have to be exceptional at making umbrellas.
Concentrate on your strengths by knowing your weaknesses.
The Opportunities
Knowing your key strengths and your areas of weakness, you are now able to see the doorways of opportunities.
Not the illusionary doors that sparkle like a shiny objects, but the true doorways of opportunities that lead you towards your greatest strengths, gifts and unique abilities.
If we don’t spend time recognizing our true strengths and abilities, it’s easy for us to be lead down a path that directs us towards our areas of weakness. Inner knowing is essential.
From this state of awareness, you can ask yourself these questions each day, allowing your inner essence to direct you:
- What are my greatest opportunities today that stand upon my strengths?
- What are the things that seem to be lining up in ways that can catapult me towards greater success and abundance?
From a business standpoint, organizations like IBM know where their strength lies, they know what they are weak at. Focusing upon their strengths, they envision and project the opportunities that their strengths present for them.
Envision your opportunities, they await you.
Minimizing the Threats
If we’re going to spend time envisioning opportunities that cater to our strengths, we must also be aware of the threats that can affect those opportunities.
In business, these threats come in many forms whether it’s competition, regulations, consumer awareness or distribution.
In our lives, the threats may not be as visible. Most threats take the form of negative or limiting thoughts, destructive choices and non-supportive people or environments.
A good way to help us pinpoint the threats is to ask ourselves:
- What are the areas in life that if not checked or consciously controlled could steal my opportunities and minimize my strengths?
As we identify these threats, we provide ourselves with the necessary awareness to move past these hindrances and continue towards the doors of opportunity that await us.
The greatest threat most of us have comes from within ourselves.
“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”
-African Proverb (Three Key Tweet)
Key Questions We Must Answer For Ourselves
Here are a few questions that will help you with your individual SWOT Analysis:
- What are the things that I am best at?
- What are my strengths, unique abilities and gifts?
- What areas of my life could use more empowerment, more love and support?
- How can I begin embracing the opportunities that present themselves to me?
- What needs to be released within myself before I can fully participate with these opportunities?
Gratitude
There is only one you.
Honor and respect your strengths.
Be aware of your weaknesses.
Be grateful for the countless opportunities presenting themselves to you each moment of every day.
Consciously empower yourself to overcome all threats that arise within thyself.
Peace
Happiness
Compassion
Respect
Jeffon Seely
Three Key Life