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JIMINY SELF-HELP HANDBOOK 18

Self-Analysis and Strategic Planning

As we realised, creative thinking and pragmatism are fundamental skills to put our plans and ideas into
motion. As we realised, creative thinking and pragmatism are fundamental skills to put our plans and
ideas into motion. Simultaneously, it is also important to evaluate and understand our skills, interests,
and strengths to outline a personal strategy to give us the right direction to pursue our dreams.

We tend to “live” in our own minds; sometimes in the future, with hopes and dreams; others stuck in
the past, only with a small perception of the present and the current opportunities. Skills, interests,
and strengths play an important role when we are looking at future.

A skill is the ability to do something well. An interest is something that we are motivated by. Not every
interest is supported by a skill. Skills can be developed over a period of time, with particular success if
motivated by an interest. In some cases, the skills match the areas of interest. These are our strengths.

SKILL

STRENGTH

INTEREST

Self-analysis helps us to be aware of ourselves, of what we think and what we are, allowing us to focus
on what really matters to us – on our strengths. Self-analysis can be practiced. There are some simple
steps that can be done to increase this awareness and capacity:
 Knowing ourselves – our attitudes and behaviour, emotions and thoughts, strengths and
weaknesses, fears and dreams, accepting how we are in understanding not in judgement, being
aware of self-limitations to overcome it
 Thinking pattern - a strategic thinker has the capacity to perceive and understand things quicker.
Usually, noting down ideas and thoughts helps to identify a pattern and the trigger behind it, giving
us a better organised thinking structure
 Checking our roadmap - sometimes we just must stop to know where we are in our own road, like
when we are driving and having doubts about the way. Tracking the self in emotional states,
personal milestones and actions done is fundamental to have a better perception of the next step
to take, even if it is a step back, which can be needed
 Gaining perspective – what really matters is to build a strong self-esteem and not really care about
what others might think. Comparing today’s self with the self of yesterday, instead with the self of
others. Reminding that life is not a competition even if some think so - life is a personal journey