Hello, Where Exactly Are You Right Now?
A Self SWOT analysis for those who want to walk the journey of life with apt direction, rather than roaming the land.
There’s a saying I really like, and one that challenges me positively, it says; “which of you trying to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see whether he has enough to finish it”. That’s some dose of wisdom! It’s safe to say that if we randomly select 50 people and ask them who or what they would like to become (in future), atleast, about 18 persons out of them would tell us about their desires, wishes, and life aspirations with some giggle.
In as much as majority have not yet discovered self, a handful others have got some buzz in them about what they really would like to become. Now, as beautiful as that may sound, the process of journeying to one’s desired end point would be frustrating and would in fact be impossible if we do not rightly analyse self, right before we embark!
Fact is, one cannot rightly book a flight to a destination without knowing where you are at the moment. Once the point A (that is, where and who you are right now) is not known, the point B (your objectives, where you wanna end up) cannot be rightly mapped. The journey of life without some critical self-analysis with the specific objective(s) in view is simply a motion with no apt direction, in fact, such motion can be hazardous. I mean, where do you intend going? WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW? How exactly do you intend to get there? Have you got what it takes to embark? How exactly do you intend meeting the requirements needed to get there?
Friend, you cannot afford to keep the hope of achieving your objective to luck, there is a strategic process to every grand arrival and You are a vital determinant in it all. Let me walk you through Self SWOT using the popular SWOT analysis. What you stand to gain? It will give a clear picture of your current stand as it details your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which can be strategically worked around and maximized to achieve your earnest desires.
Self SWOT is a viable point for the mapping of the move towards one’s desired haven, and with this comes some level of assurance. Good thing is, with a map, you’re not lost!
Here we go …
So, Let’s talk about your strengths, have you spot your uniqueness? What’s your strength zone? What do you do so well or have that you can build on?
And hey, you’ve got to be sincere with yourself right here! what keeps you back from doing the things that needs be done? what are you supposed to have but haven’t which makes it hard to achieve your earnest desires? What do people point at as your weakness(es)? This can be a lag in capacity such as inadequate education, need for vocational training, inadequate or lack of resources, procrastination, low esteem, lack of discipline and the likes.
And honestly, it’s time to critically looook (yeah), what and where do you personally need improvement that is needful for achieving your objectives? What opportunities and/or resources are open to you right now that can maximize your strengths? This can be a form of certification, internship, scholarship, personal development mentorship, and even relationships and resources within, around and outside your circle which can be leveraged on.
Now, don’t you fret! What situation, challenges or changes pose itself as threats to you or to the achieving of your vision? What are the limitations that could possibly occur and challenge you? I have seen people who ended up as dropouts due to unfavourable decisions of a sponsor, and I have seen and read of people who beyond the odds, forged ahead and pursued their earnest desires even after certain life-threatening ordeals that could have benched their careers, an example is Bethany_Hamilton.
A Case Study: Mr Zacchaeus
The story of Mr Zacchaeus would interest you. He was a tax collector and quite rich and famous. However, he was very small in stature — he was a dwarf. Then, there was this great master whom he had heard so much about, and on a fateful day, Mr Zacchaeus heard that, that great master was passing by his very town. Guess what? many people had gone all out thronging to see this most talked about great master, but then, don’t we all have some desires? Mr Zacchaeus’ earnest desire was to see this great master, just to see who he was but he could not because of the crowd. Thronging with such a crowd was going to be dangerous for his stature. You know what he did? He found out where the great master was going to pass and then ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree and waited there so he could see the great master when he passes.
Now let’s analyse our little man’s situation and the action he took:
Mr Zacchaeus had a clear objective — he wanted to see the great master. He’s got some strengths — he was rich, famous, influential, smart and perhaps fierce. The weakness to his desire was his little stature. Hence, the many others who were able to run out to see the master were a threat to his desire, as they were not held back by such challenge and also, they were in his way from seeing the master. What a threat! But is there really such as a challenge we cannot surmount? For the fierce, all things are possible! Guess what he did, Mr Zacchaeus manoeuvred all these to his advantage, he sure was a wise fellow, it takes some level of wisdom and ruggedity to take initiative.
Mr Zacchaeus used his strength to take advantage of the opportunity around, oftentimes, we miss out on the ladder to the next level because we look too far for it. He diligently did a feasibility study and identified where the great master was going to pass, a situation you do not understand, you cannot rightly use. As a tax collector, he definitely knew his way around town, perhaps he used his wealth to get the fastest means of transportation to navigate his way to the sycamore tree he had located, and ofcourse, he was influential and rich enough to hire the sycamore tree for the period if need be.
Mr Zacchaeus took advantage of this opportunity to overcome his weakness, he leveraged on the sycamore tree, he climbed the tree and waited there. You see, SELF SWOT helps you identify the right position to take (this is your strategic visibility), you wouldn’t need to run helter-skelter or do trial and error, you’ll just hang on to your analysed truth knowing the desired reward will come eventually. Therefore, he used his strength to avoid his threat, he ran ahead!
“Sometimes, we remain inert because we’ve refused to analyse situation and take context-fit initiative”
If you can duly analyse that one thing, that gap, harassing your intending action, you will find that there is something within and around to overcome it — no matter how little it may seem!
“Our background or challenge shouldn’t be a stopper, they are strategically there to give our ordinary moves the extra-ordinary look, if we will dare”
Mr Zacchaeus was able to minimize his weakness of being of small stature by strategically engaging his strength and harnessing the opportunities around him to his gain and hence he avoided the threat of being left behind.
And, you know what his outcome was? The great master — Jesus, did pass that way, and when He got to the Sycamore tree where Mr Zacchaeus was, the master looked up and saw him! He didn’t even have to call out to the master. Hey, oftentimes, the things we need are also out there looking for us, but until we move, we wouldn’t find nor be found!
For those beautiful things you want, for the earnest desire and aspiration you harbour; it will be most rewarding if you’ll take some time today and analyse yourself and current situation, moreso, diligently maximize it, make and possess your city.
