Your Personal SWOT Analysis

While SWOT is an acronym widely used in strategic planning, I advocate its use as a personal evaluation tool in developing a plan to achieve a personal goal. It works the same way whether for organizational/business or for personal planning. SWOT basically helps you to understand how attainable a goal is and what tools and/or skills you need to acquire/develop or what environment you need to create/operate in to realize success. It’s important to note that the first two components (strengths and weaknesses) are internal characteristics you possess (or lack). The second two components (opportunities and threats) are chances and elements that exist in the environment – and external to you. Let’s take a look at my Snowman SWOT analysis for illustration:

Strengths (personal characteristics that will support my completing the trek):
• Past experience in high altitude trekking
• Mental toughness
Weaknesses (personal characteristics that may present a challenge along the trek):
• Low tolerance to extended exposure to cold weather
• Average leg strength
Opportunities (external circumstances that enhance achieving my goal)
• Current work schedule supports training plan
• Access to training partner for support and motivation
Threats (external circumstances that could adversely affect goal achievement)
• Weather – chance that snow could close passes before trek completion
• Possibility of becoming ill (altitude sickness, dysentery, etc.)

So, how do I take this information and use it toward developing a plan to achieve my goal of completing the Snowman? From strengths I draw on some of my past experiences (lessons learned). I know what worked (and didn’t) in terms of packing, timing, and physical training. I put it in my planning. By raising awareness of my weaknesses, I know to include in my plan actions to counter or mitigate them. I start a progressive weight-training plan to strengthen my legs . I also begin to identify and add to my packing list things to keep me warm at altitude. In opportunities, knowing that my current work schedule (I telecommute part-time and own my business) can be arranged to accommodate my training plan, I make a schedule that honors work and prep. I also benefit from training with my partner -- builds accountability in the plan. And there are the threats. Weather can foil the late high-pass crossings on the trek– so we book at optimal season for clear passes. Finally, there is the threat of becoming ill. With that knowledge, we plan for and schedule immunizations and start gathering the items required for our personal first aid kit. Note on high altitude: I’ll devote a future blog post solely to this complex topic.

Now it is time for you to perform a personal SWOT analysis as regards your goal. It will give you invaluable information for planning – I promise. Let me know how it goes!

Snowman Training Notes: It’s another strength training day (there are two a week throughout the program). Since we know our activities for the next four days will impact at least two days of training, I opt to turn today’s warm-up into another interval training day – this time running. A favorite training aid of mine for running is an application called “Beat Burn” by lolo. Beat Burn basically puts a “coach in your ear” (via your iPhone, iTouch or iPad) along with your favorite music for training. Once you get through the basic sessions, the maintenance plan has lots of intervals for treadmill or out-door running (or walking if you prefer). I started with the ap when it was lolo Burn, which limited the tunes to some canned techno beats. With next generation Beat Burn, you can sync the ap with your own music, and then it adjusts the tempo (up and down) to fit the pace of that day’s program (as guided by your lolo coach). For $3.99 on iTunes it’s a lot of motivation and fun in an ap. Check it out on at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beatburn-treadmill-outdoor/id383811730?mt=8

Today’s training: 40 minutes of interval running on the treadmill (range 7:15 – 10:00 miles) plus weight training: hip abduction, hip adduction, leg press, leg extension, leg curl, weighted skier squats, lat pull down, biceps curl, triceps extension, overhead press, abs and plank. Total work out time: 1:15.

Thought for the day:
“Know thyself” ~Plato