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Hey all, just here to plug that the pdf has been released. (link attached as comment, also with Table of Contents from PDF) In addition I'll be covering one of the unreleased lessons within it here today as a sample. Today we're covering a self analysis using the (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) model. For those of you who have yet to fully understand yourself before embarking on this journey, a resource. Here’s a recommended list to fulfill before embracing the remainder of this document.

The Self SWOT

Step 1

Do a self-Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats analysis. Be brutal. For those of you who don't know what a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats analysis is, I suggest this as a good breakdown. Remember for a self SWOT, the left column “s/w” is internal value and weakness, the right 'o/t' is external.

What are your internal strengths?

Are you fit? Healthy? A good public speaker? Funny? Clever? A good networker? Mastery level pianist? Gym Bunny? What's your area of expertise? Etc. Only internal things that improve yourself which you're already doing without really thinking about it go here.

What are internal weaknesses?

Do you have social anxiety? Do you over think things? Do you not think enough? Do you know what and how you're motivated? Are you fat? Are you a pushover? Are you obsessed with pleasing? Are you a spendthrift? The things you do that you think back on 'why didn't I x' or 'I should have y' go here.

What are your opportunities?

Is there a gym nearby? Have you been reading regularly? Do you have a talent you haven't exercised? Do you have tons of down time? Do you have time to meditate? To write? To create? Are there bars and clubs you haven't scouted? Have you checked the classifieds recently? Are you saving? Investing? Have you checked the sub for personal finance recently? 'Hint'

What are your threats?

Where do you rank in your social group? Are you the smartest person in the room normally? 'Hint, if you are you're in the wrong room', are you intelligent but inexperienced? Are most friends more specialized than you? Do you take crash courses from friends and acquainted specialists? Are you spending 4 hours a day sitting in front of a computer complaining on the internet instead of getting up and doing something?

Run your own 80/20 analysis.

Take your last few days, write out your average schedule in hours. How was each hour spent? What were the achievements made? By achievement I mean things which added value to you, internal or external?

If you only had 20% of the time you spent to make those same achievements how would you have done it? Can you front load? What would you have cut? For questions in how to accurately improve your efficiency, I'd check out ace productivity by Kevin Moser. Great podcast, listen to it.

Take your SWOT analysis, weaknesses and threats must be improved or delegated, take that free time, your time that didn't add value, and put it to work addressing those weaknesses and threats. Either find some way to trade your value for compensation, or find a way to fix them yourself.

Congratulations

You should now have a visual/perceptual map of what you are actually doing to add value to your life, what you're doing that adds nothing, and what you should do to reschedule to reach new goals.

The above system is a great first step but that's not all it takes to reach True Frame. From here, if you've been honest, you can only see the changes you need to make to focus on a fulfilling and value based lifestyle. You must actually follow through and begin scheduling your time to achieve it. Do that. Find a good calendar app and task manager and get started.

So you've scheduled your time?

Good. You're probably looking at an agenda which has almost no free time and that's alright. You'll narrow your actual desires after the first week of performance, freeing up more time to focus on what brings you the most satisfaction and value. Repeat this weekly and eventually the small successes will turn to large ones, the small goals will become bigger, and before you know it, and your value will be paying dividends.

This is where True Frame always tends to appear. A focused purposeful life is where you achieve the ability to say no, to put things in their place and avoid distraction, to have net value growth and satisfaction at the same time. Be sure to keep at least a weekly record of your progress. You must always have an objective record to use as a benchmark.

Lessons Learned

You should know your strengths

You should know your weaknesses

You should know your opportunities

You should know your threats

Knowing these things first should help set you up to properly enter the path to self improvement.