Today I'm talking about some awesome work presented by Gabriele Oettingen, the researcher who wrote the book "Rethinking Positive Thinking. Oettinger developed this idea of ""Woop," an acronym that stands for "Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan."
The WOOP framework is used as a mental strategy for setting and achieving goals. Here's what each part of the acronym represents:
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Wish: This is where you identify and clarify your specific wish or goal. What do you want to achieve? It's important to be clear and specific about what you want.
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Outcome: In this step, you vividly imagine and visualize the positive outcome or result of achieving your wish. Think about how achieving your goal will make you feel and what the benefits will be.
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Obstacle: Here, you identify and acknowledge the obstacles, challenges, or barriers that might get in the way of you achieving your goal. It's about recognizing the potential roadblocks.
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Plan: The final step involves creating a plan to overcome the obstacles you've identified. You think about specific actions you can take to address the challenges and work toward your goal. This step makes your goal more actionable and realistic.
By going through the WOOP process, you combine both positive thinking (the "Wish" and "Outcome" steps) and a realistic assessment of potential obstacles (the "Obstacle" step) to develop a concrete plan (the "Plan" step) for achieving your goals. It's a practical and structured approach to goal-setting and motivation.