WOOP! You have to check it out

My sister and I are doing a free on-line course on happiness.  I have to say I have been impressed with the universities, organizations and more that have stepped up and offered free classes during this pandemic.  Well done. Thank you.

In a recent class they explained WOOP and how it can help achieve goals. I was intrigued as setting goals has always been an interest of mine.  I like to have a few projects on the go. Nothing major, but a project to work towards. I find it gives me focus and I end up accomplishing more in other areas of my life. So WOOP I was interested in.

WOOP is a science-based mental strategy that people can use to find and  fulfill wishes, set preferences, and change their habits. Okay I’m in. For more information on the science check out WOOP my life.

WOOP stands for:  Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan

1.  WISH.  Think of something you want to accomplish. Make it specific, manageable, attainable, relevant and time-sensitive.  Few examples:  write a novel, go back to school, purchase a home, take a dance/pottery/you drop the word in class.
2. OUTCOME.  Visualize what it would be like to accomplish your wish. What is the best outcome?  Picture yourself living this outcome, talking about it and feeling it.
3. OBSTACLE. We want to make an association with our outcomes here. Basically figure out how we can overcome our obstacles.  So again visualize what obstacles are in the way. What have we set up to sabotage our outcome? Visualize and work through them to get to our desired outcome.  Examples of obstacles for purchasing a home or going back to school could be financial and/or time. Seriously financial and time are pretty well obstacles for everything when we get down to it.
   
   If finances are an obstacle consider sitting down and doing a detail spreadsheet of what is coming and going out each month. Make sure you put your treats like coffee on it.  For writing a novel it could be breaking it down into writing a character profile or a scene. You don’t have to write a novel in a few sittings!

   
   The one thing they were adamant over was not mixing up the outcome and obstacle order. We don’t want to set ourselves up for failure by thinking of obstacles before we visualize and see ourselves living our outcome.

4. PLAN.  How are we going to make our wish happen. We know our obstacles we are going to be dealing with. We have a plan for that.  No Netflix until I write for 30 minutes. No $5 coffees on Monday, Wednesday or Fridays.  Keep visualizing our outcome and how it will feel. Break our plan up into manageable steps.

WOOP  Wish / Outcome / Obstacles / Plan

It made sense to me. Especially the obstacles.  Having them out front at the beginning to deal with. Maybe even realizing a few our limiting beliefs we have to work on for every wish.  I definitely am trying this.  Let me know what you think.

You can always start now!