Care to WOOP It Up?
Hi, I'm Liz Moser, and I’m a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach. Today I want to talk about the WOOP or wish, outcome, obstacle, plan. The WOOP is a systematic way to increase motivation and change behavior.
It’s based on 20 years of research in the science of motivation, and it presents a unique and surprising idea:
The obstacles that we think most impede us from fulfilling our wishes can actually help us to realize them.
WOOP instructs us to dream our future dreams but then to identify and imagine what inner obstacles or hindrances of reality prevent us from achieving these dreams.
WOOP gives us direction and energy to fulfill our wishes and solve our concerns.
So, I thought we could run through a WOOP together, what do you think?
But before we start with the WOOP exercise, please be aware that WOOP is different from other exercises: it involves thoughts and images rather than rational or effortful thinking. It involves going slow, creating time and space for reflection and imagining.
Ok, are you ready? Let’s WOOP it up!
First, what’s your Wish?
Think about the next four weeks, what is your one dearest wish that you would like to fulfill and that you also think you could fulfill during this time frame? Fulfilling your wish should be challenging for you, but you should feel that it is possible for you.
If you have several wishes, select the one that is most important to you. The wish can be about your relationships, your health, a job, school, or anything else that is important to you.
Find this one specific wish, summarize it in 3 to 6 words, and keep it in the front of your mind.
For me, my specific wish is to make it through an upcoming holiday party without eating junk food or drinking alcohol, while being a gracious guest and having fun.
Next, what is your hoped-for outcome?
What is the best thing, the best outcome that you associate with fulfilling your wish? How would you fulfilling your wish make you feel? What would be the best thing about achieving your wish?
Find the best outcome, summarize it in 3 to 6 words, and keep it in the front of your mind.
My best outcome is that I will successfully say no thank you to the junk food and contentedly sip on sparkling water while mingling with the other guests and complimenting the hostess on her spectacular party.
Finally, what are the obstacles?
What holds you back from realizing your wish? What is it in you that stands in the way of you making your wish come true? What behavior of yours or what emotion could hinder you from fulfilling your wish?
What is your main inner obstacle? Find it, summarize it in 3 to 6 words, and keep it in the front of your mind.
My main obstacle is my negative self-talk that says:
“People are judging you” or “The hostess is irritated with you” or “You don’t fit in."
Lastly, what is your plan?
What can you do to overcome your obstacle? Identify one action you can take, or one thought you could think to overcome your obstacle.
Identify one action or one thought. Find it, summarize it in 3 to 6 words, and keep it in the front of your mind.
Now make an if-then plan: Take your obstacle and place it after the word “if.” Similarly, place the behavior to overcome your obstacle after the word “then”:
If… (obstacle) … then I will ... (action or thought to overcome your obstacle).
I plan that IF I start spiraling into negative self-talk, I WILL remind myself how important my health goals are or I will text a friend for some support.
So, thanks for WOOP-ing it up with me! That was the four-step WOOP exercise. WOOP always works the same:
W-You first name a wish that is challenging, but feasible. For me, it was successfully making it through a holiday party without junk food or cocktails.
O-Then you find the very best outcome and imagine this outcome. My best outcome is mainting my health goals while having fun and being a gracious guest.
O-Then, you find your main obstacle and imagine this obstacle. My main obstacle is my negative self-talk.
P-Finally, you make a plan, an if-then plan of how to overcome the obstacle. I plan to remind myself of my goals and text a friend.
Remember:
You can use WOOP for long-term as well as for short-term wishes.
You can use WOOP for small as well as for big wishes.
WOOP when you are stressed or when you feel uneasy.
WOOP helps you to sort things out.
Practice WOOP as often as you can – play with it!
I’m Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach and if you have any questions about this video, about health and wellness or about wellness coaching, please email me at lizm@lizmosercoaching.com.
Bye for now! Liz
