A SWOT matrix is a framework for analyzing our strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats we face. In the first article of this series, I discussed the two top SWOT quadrants, Strengths and Weaknesses. This second part of the series focuses on the two bottom quadrants, Opportunities and Threats.
Destiny is shaped by inner and outer forces. Our strengths and weaknesses are inner forces that affect our life. Whereas opportunities and threats are outer forces that we encounter.
SWOT is often used for a business analysis. You can imagine that a business analysis looks at the inner forces of strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, as well as the outer forces of market opportunities and threats by competitors.
However, when we start to apply SWOT to our life, boundaries become fluid. For starters, what’s ‘inner’ and what’s outer? Do thing ‘happen’ to us – as the SWOT model suggests? Or do we call them forth?
As you answer the following ten questions that can change your life, keep an open mind. After all, every threat can also be an opportunity and vice versa.
Opportunities
Opportunities come with change. What I’m saying is that if you live your life in the same way, day after day, you’ll have less opportunities. (Check out my article Strategies for Good Luck which shows how changing habits encourages good fortune).
I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of prejudging changes as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. For example, you might think that failing health is ‘bad’ and a financial windfall is ‘good’. But either could be an opportunity for something new to evolve. As you contemplate the following questions, please let go of ideas of ‘good’ or bad’.
Question #1 What changes do you observe?
Changes can be personal, regional, national, or international. They can be sudden changes, or trends that gradually shape the way we live, or how the world functions.
Personal Changes:
- Are there changes to you job?
- Is your health status changing?
- Do you notice changes in motivation?
- What about changes in energy levels?
- what changes are there in your finances?
- Are there changes in your relationships?
- What about hobbies? Have you discarded old ones or taken up new ones?
- What changes are there to your social life?
- Is your lifestyle changing?
Regional and national changes:
What changes in your region or country can you point to?
- Has the government changed?
- Are there changes to employment?
- Are there significant financial changes?
- What other changes can you seet?
International changes?
- Is there a change in international politics?
- Is there a significant change in the world of finance?
- Are there world-wide changes to health?
- What are significant changes to the environment?
- What technological advances are important world-wide?
- What are some new social trends?
Question #2 What opportunities do these changes hold
Now take each of the changes you notice in your personal life, in your nation, or in the world and write beside them which opportunities might arise. Any change or trend that you spot may offer opportunities for you.
Question #3 What your opportunities do your strengths hold?
This is a point in the analysis where you need to go back to the first two SWOT quadrants, Strengths and Weaknesses. If you are not quite sure about this, read my first article about SWOT.
You may find that when you hold your personal strengths against the changes and trends that you have spotted, you may spot new opportunities.
Question #4 What opportunities do your weaknesses hold?
If you look at the weaknesses that you pinpointed previously and hold them against the changes and trends, you may find that they too provide new opportunities.
Threats can come in many different forms. Here are questions that will help you determine what threats you may face.
Question #5 What obstacles do you face?
Take a look at your life and take stock at what is difficult.
Question #6 What risks are you taking?
Are you taking on a high level of risk? The risk could be to your health, to your finances, to your relationships, or to other aspects of your life.
Question #7 What are people around you doing?
If you are alert to what people around you are doing or failing to do, you can sometimes avert danger.
Question #8 Is your job changing?
To answer this, you might like to think about the changes you determined earlier on and seeing how they may be impacting on your job.
Question #9 Do your weaknesses pose a threat?
If you look at your weaknesses, you may spot which one of them could pose a threat.
Question #10 Does one of your strengths pose a threat?
You may find that a strength can also be a threat. For example, if you are very confident, you could also become overconfident and take on too much risk.
Carrying out this SWOT analysis may show you what you can do to improve your life. You may discover new opportunities. And maybe you’ll be able to spot and circumvent danger heading your way. Great opportunities come with a mixture of excitement and fear. Sometimes the fear can stop us from even thinking about a new opportunity. I think it’s important to acknowledge the fear – and look at opportunities anyway!
Let’s have a conversation. What does the SWOT analysis reveal about your life?
Read these related articles:
Optimize Your Life With the SWOT Matrix
Photo by mark sebastian
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I like this point (#4).
Perceived weaknesses are often great strengths blocked by fear. It is the fear that is the weakness — not the object of your fear.
A person might fear public speaking. That doesn’t mean they are weak at speaking in public. If they work to remove the fear, they may uncover a powerful life direction.
John
John Rocheleau – Zen-Momentss last blog post..Desire and Seduction: 7 Ways to Turn Your Life Around
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Hi John!
Fear of failing is really the greatest weakness. And I think we all suffer from that weakness in one way or another.
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Re point 4, it’s true that we can turn some of our earlier weaknesses into opportunities for ourselves. For instance, many self improvement gurus or authors went through a period of adversity before coming out tops. Their stories of struggle appeal to the public and make them instant successes!!
Evelyn Lims last blog post..Emotional Secrets To The Physical Body
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Hi Evelyn!
It’s true that writers like Steve Pavlina repeat their story of their earlier prison sentence over and over.
I’m still trying to find a murky past but I don’t think I’ve even had a speeding ticket
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Excellent post Mary. I was watching the film ‘revolver’ recently and this post reminded me of a darker quote that can be heard in the film.
‘I always ask myself one question, “What’s in it for me?”. The more a person invests in that question, the more powerful he becomes’
Of course that is quite dark and deep but I thought it was a very interesting way of putting things.
Stumbled!
Cheers,
Glen
Glen Allsopps last blog post..How to Get Someone or Something, Off Your Mind
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Great post (and what a beautiful photo!).
I like point 3. I am a believer in maximizing and exploiting your strengths. Life is much more enjoyable when you are doing something you are good at!
Andrew
greatmanagements last blog post..How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever…
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Hi Glen!
That’s a powerful quote! I can imagine that someone who keeps on asking, “What’s in it for me?” would turn into a Machiavelli, i.e. someone who loses all sense of empathy and goes to the dark side. Frightening, eh?
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Hi greatmanagement!
Yes, I don’t much enjoy doing what I’m not good at either! The funny thing is that when I say, “That’s something I’m not particularly good at,” people who don’t know me well try to pat me on the shoulder and say carefull, “Oh, I’m sure you can learn it if you try.”
It’s as if it’s a cardinal sin in the personal growth field to imply that one has limitations! Personally, I’m quite at ease with having certain talents, and lacking others.
Just ask me to draw something and you’ll immediately spot one of my inferior functions
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Mary,
For the majority of tasks I am weak in, I either delegate (one of my strengths!) or outsource. Works for me.
Andrew
greatmanagements last blog post..How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever…
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Mary,
These are some great questions. These questions can be used several ways:
1. Use the full list of questions to occasionally do a full life-review as part of your full SWOT analysis.
2. Choose a few questions which are important for you and your goals and add them to part of a weekly review process.
3. Pick one or two of these questions that you will ask yourself throughout the day.
4. Eventually these questions will become ingrained into your natural way of thinking about the world. In this case the way you see opportunities and threats will naturally change.
Success Professor – Danny Gamaches last blog post..How To Maintain Momentum
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I agree with Andrew. In fact I find the best bet is to place yourself in situations where weakness do not come into play.
Tom Volkar/ Delightful Works last blog post..Grounding Your Small Business Vision
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Hi greatmanagement!
Outsourcing and delegating sounds great. But what if we’re looking at our character weaknesses? For example it would be difficult to outsource having a difficult argument with your loved one
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Hi Danny!
Thanks for these great suggestions.
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Mary
That’s true! There are always things you HAVE to do yourself. That’s life, isn’t it?
Andrew
GreatManagements last blog post..How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever…
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huh. where have I been?
my first visit here and Id not heard of SWOT before. need to read and reread this post.
MizFits last blog post..Who’s the new MotorolaMizFit?! (& other random Friday chickenbus)
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Hi Mary,
I love the idea of “SWOT’ing Yourself”. I’ve done lots of these for businesses, and always found that the “answers” some seek remain elusive, but the activity is the most important element of the SWOT. In other words, we need to focus on asking the right questions instead of finding the “right” answers.
- Mike
Mikes last blog post..Thoughts On Materialism In Troubled Economic Times
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Hi Mike!
Yes, questions are potent!
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Yes … they are potent. And they matter, so therefore, they are impotent too
Sorry … bad play on words there. Ha.
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nice blog
this website about binaural brainwave is also terrific
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I enjoyed some of the comments, yet i did not get what I wanted for my students. Maybe I expect too much. It is good to be satisfied with less and thus get more.
Joseph
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