Habit technique · Goals & planning · A few minutes
WOOP: wish, outcome, obstacle, plan
Level: Intermediate · Free — no account needed to read
Four steps: Wish (what you want), Outcome (the best result, imagined briefly), Obstacle (the main thing inside you that could stop you), Plan (an if–then for that obstacle).
Why it may help
Picturing the obstacle after the wish connects the future you want to the reality in the way, which research suggests energises action when the goal is achievable.
When to use it
- Wanting something but not acting
- Before starting a habit
- When positive thinking alone hasn’t helped
How to apply it
- Write your wish in a few words.
- Picture the best outcome for a moment.
- Name the main obstacle, especially one inside you.
- Write: “If [obstacle], then I will [action].”
An example
Wish: study each evening. Outcome: calm before exams. Obstacle: I reach for my phone when tired. Plan: “If I feel tired and reach for my phone, I’ll put it in the drawer and do ten minutes first.”
The common mistake
Skipping the obstacle and only picturing success.
Practise it
Do one WOOP for a habit you’ve been avoiding.
What the evidence says
Research-supported: Good studies support it, but there are fewer of them, the effects are modest, or they come from a narrow set of situations.
Mental contrasting with implementation intentions has research support, much of it from one research group. It helps most when the goal is realistic.
Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy (v1) codes: 1.2, 1.4, 9.3.
Sources
- Oettingen (2012). Future thought and behaviour change. European Review of Social Psychology. doi:10.1080/10463283.2011.643698
- Rethinking Positive Thinking — Gabriele Oettingen (2014)
Problems it helps with
- “I don’t feel motivated.” — You know it matters, but when the moment comes you just don’t feel like it.
- “I remember, but I don’t start.” — You know it’s time. You even think about it. And then you do something else.
Lessons behind it
- Plan for the obstacles — Name what will get in the way, and decide now what you’ll do then. (6 min · Intermediate)
- The gap between intending and doing — Why wanting to and committing to are not enough on their own. (6 min · Intermediate)