If you’ve got a background in business, you’re probably familiar with a SWOT analysis. 

It was developed by the Stanford Research Institute back in the 1960s.

So it’s safe to say that it's… not new. But it’s probably new to your kid. 🤷 

SWOT stands for:

👉 Strengths

👉 Weaknesses

👉 Opportunities

👉 Threats

SWOTs are used in business planning to help companies understand their current position, make strategic decisions, allocate resources efficiently, and navigate the competitive landscape.

But they can also be a killer tool for personal goal-setting.

Here’s how. 👇

Step 1 — Get into a growth mindset

Before doing any sort of self-assessment exercise, your kid will need to get themselves into a growth mindset.

They need to approach their SWOT from a place of openness and curiosity — not defensiveness.

Here are a few things they can do to “warm up” their growth mindset before sitting down to complete their personal SWOT analysis:

🪞 Reflect on a recent mistake. Instead of leaning into a feeling of defeat, have them think about what can be learned from the experience.

🎉 Praise their effort. Acknowledge and praise a time when they didn’t achieve a desired outcome (like acing a test), but put in exemplary effort (like studying hard).

✅ Ask for constructive feedback. Have them reach out to a teacher or trusted friend for honest performance feedback in a particular area.

Step 2 — Complete the SWOT

When completing the SWOT analysis, first have your kid identify a goal (the more specific and measurable, the better), such as:

• Scoring above a 1500 on the SAT

• Earning a position on the varsity basketball team

• Getting into Stanford

Once their goal is defined, set aside 30-minutes for them to focus on their SWOT. Organize a quiet place, set a timer, and provide them with a simple grid on a sheet of paper. 👇

💪 STRENGTHS

In this section, your kid should make a list of all of the intrinsic strengths they possess that will help them reach their goal.

Say their goal is to score above a 1500 on the SAT. Their strengths might include:

• High math proficiency

• Strong reading comprehension

🤏 WEAKNESSES

The weaknesses section should point to intrinsic vulnerabilities that will impact their ability to reach their goal.

Using the same example of the 1500+ SAT score, this might look like:

• Subpar writing skills

• Poor study habits

👏 OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are external advantages that your kid can exploit to achieve their goal. It’s important to list these so they’re not accidentally neglected.

Some good examples in this scenario could be:

• Free SAT prep sessions at school

• A friend who scored high has offered to tutor

👎 THREATS

Threats are external factors or conditions that may keep your kid from reaching their goal. These risks need to be noted so they can be mitigated.

Examples could include:

• A sibling that distracts during study time

• Getting sick the week of the test

Step 3 — Use the SWOT

After the SWOT is completed, don’t just walk away from it. 

Share it with those who are involved in the process of helping your kid reach their goal (like teachers, coaches, and other family members), and regularly revisit it to ensure they’re leaning into strengths and opportunities, and abating weaknesses and threats.

This age-old business practice could be just what your kid needs to nudge them toward their goal. 👊