WOOP is a “science-based mental strategy”, developed by Gabriele Oettingen, that helps people apply their motivation towards achieving their goals or altering their bad habits. WOOP’s benefits are wide-ranging - it can help you achieve professional and academic goals, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and improve your social behaviours and relationships. WOOP prompts us to think about our goals or wishes, visualize the outcomes that we would like to achieve, identify the obstacles that may be hindering us, and develop a plan to overcome our obstacles and achieve our wishes.
W – WISH
O – OUTCOME
O – OBSTACLE
P – PLAN
Let's practice WOOP!
Wish
What do you wish to achieve? Your wish can be anything from achieving higher grades, breaking bad habits, or improving your health, to forming stronger social relationships or performing better at work. Make sure that your wish is realistic!
Outcome
Next, take a moment to visualize yourself achieving your wish. What is the best possible outcome regarding your wish? Think about how achieving this outcome would make you feel, and channel those feelings into motivation.
Obstacle
Now, try to identify the internal reasons why you have not been able to achieve your wish yet. What obstacles are you facing, within yourself, that are preventing you from achieving your wish? Figuring out which internal barriers are blocking you from achieving your wishes and why they are affecting you, will help you with the next step.
Plan
It is now time to channel all of the motivation that you have harnessed so far, and create an effective plan to help you work through your obstacles and achieve your ideal outcome. So, the next time you face your obstacle, what can you do to overcome it?
Fill in the blanks below to create your plan.
When _________ (obstacle), I will __________ (plan to overcome obstacle).
Repeat your plan either silently or aloud, when faced with your obstacles, until its message empowers and motivates you to work towards achieving your wish.
WOOP is a scientifically proven, motivation-based tool for goal achievement and habit change. If you are ready to make a positive change, practice WOOP and take the first steps in your journey towards achieving your wishes.
Written by: Kristeen Patel
Instagram: @kristeenpatel
What will YOU achieve with WOOP?
Let us know in the comments below 💬👇
Sources:
WOOP. (n.d.). What is WOOP?. https://woopmylife.org/en/home
WOOP. (n.d.). The science behind WOOP. https://woopmylife.org/en/science
WOOP. (n.d.). How can I practice WOOP?. https://woopmylife.org/en/practice