Leveraging SWOT and Setting SMART Goals
Reaching goals, overcoming obstacles and connecting with your inner self.
Two of the most useful tools I have ever implemented throughout my personal and professional life are SWOT analysis and SMART goals. Professionally, these tools root themselves in business, project management and leadership fundamentals. Each tool is used to acknowledge your capacity and leverage your talents to achieve goals in a systematic and effective way. Let’s go over each of the acronyms.
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For a more detailed breakdown and outline of SWOT please visit Mind Tools. Outlining your strengths and weaknesses is critical in setting effective goals. Do you have trouble starting projects? Are you unorganized? Knowing these simple facts can offer you a platform which you can leverage to achieve what you want, how you want it. Equally important is acknowledging the opportunities that are available to you as well as the threats (lifestyle, competition, etc.) which you should keep an eye on during your creative process.
SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. A more detailed breakdown and outline of the SMART structure is available via Mind Tools. SMART goals are the foundation of goal management and should live relative to your personal SWOT analysis. Specify what you would like to achieve in a simple, sensible and significant way. How will you measure your progress? Is your goal realistic and achievable within a relevant time period? These are the foundations of SMART goals.
While we live in a digital world — sometimes it’s best to log off, sit down and take pen to paper when assessing your future endeavors. Are you looking for a new career? Do you wish you could save more? Do you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? Sometimes, a little organization and effective goal setting can clarify what we want within the context of what we can achieve. This by no means is a method to quiet large goals that you’ve been chasing for years. Rather, this is a structure for building smaller, structured goals on your path to that elusive gold medal, all with respect to your skill set.
