If you've completed the Gap Analysis steps, you now have a list of the gaps you would like to close between the current you and the ideal you. The next step in the process is to assess the severity of the gaps. As with the gap analysis, in assessing severity it is important to be narrowly focused on a specific area, concrete and detailed about attributes, and as honest and objective as you can be. Of course, it always helps to enlist the help of others.
Severity is evaluated in terms of the degree to which you believe the attitude, belief, or behavior in question is actually holding you back from attaining your goals. That is, how great and/or immediate the risk actually is. As before, it is very important to seek input from family and friends, coworkers, supervisors, et cetera. In our own views we often underestimate the degree to which an issue.
A minimally severe gap is a change that it might be nice to make, but the gap isn't necessarily blocking you from achieving your goals. An example would be that you are not as good as you could be at sticking to a budget, but when you engage in impulse spending it is generally not frequent or doesn't typically involve lots of money.
A moderate gap is a bit more serious than minimal, in that it won't necessarily block you from achieving your goals but does have the potential to do so. An example would be poor math skills that don't keep you from managing your finances but might prevent you from getting a promotion to a job that requires more math skills.
A critical gap is still more more serious than moderate, in that it almost surely would block you from achieving your goals. In other words, whether you are focused on a promotion, reducing your stress, or improving your health, you are at risk. An example would be an inability to work with others that prevents you from keeping a job that requires a lot of teamwork.
This the hard part. It requires honesty and objectivity, with a healthy dose of input from others.
Think about each gap, and try to imagine scenarios in the future where it might be an issue and how much of an issue it would be. Decide for the gap whether it is minimal, moderate, or critical. Write the category next to the gap.
Get input from others both on whether you have the issue, and whether it is likely to block your efforts to attain your goals. Review and finalize your category decisions.
Move on to the next step.
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