As a Leadership Performance Coach, many clients have come to me with this opening statement that goes something like this:
Is positive thinking enough for me to follow through on my goals?
or
I am a procrastinator. How can I trick myself to do something I know I should do but cannot seem to get to it?
or
I want to change my habits. I need to change them! But I have failed in my attempts. It's so frustrating! I just can't get myself to do it!
If this sounds familiar, read on.
Firstly, I would like to emphasize that #coachingworks because the process focuses on YOU and YOUR UNIQUE set of circumstances. Working with a coach accelerates your performance in a specific way that no other form of development has shown to be quite as effective.
However, there are techniques that you can try to help yourself follow through on the goals you have set for yourself. Here is one that is well-researched and with high
success rates.
WOOP - A TECHNIQUE TO TRY
One of the techniques in my toolbox is called WOOP from the book: Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, authored by Gabriele Oettingen. Gabriele Oettingen draws on more than twenty years of research in the science of human motivation and helped many, from school children to adults, make the change.
WOOP is a set of acronyms that stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacles, and Plan.
Ho does WOOP work?
STEP 1: Make the WISH: Think about your wish. So many people start with what they don't want. Start with what you want instead! Not easy! Most find it hard to clarify the wish and desire in a crystal clear way that becomes so real in your mind.
STEP 2: Think of the best OUTCOME: Following through from the wish, strategize the best outcome that you can muster. When you work with a coach, you can design the development together and brainstorm your best result.
STEP 3: Incorporate the potential OBSTACLES: This is the step many positive thinking methods miss out on. Anticipate the challenges that may come your way and await. What are they? If they materialize, you are not taken by surprise because you have step 4 below!
STEP 4: Design your IF/THEN PLAN: This step is the reprogramming of your mind to alert and take the path of your desired actions. You anticipate the potential obstacles and the scenarios that these obstacles will show up in your life. Then plan ahead. If the obstacles do realize, pre-determine your course of action.
For example, if you want to lose weight and avoid cookies, and you know that you will probably eat your cookies in front of the TV. So, you plan that when you watch TV, decide ahead to make yourself a cup of your favorite low-calorie tea instead of grabbing for the jar of cookies. Tell yourself, IF TV, THEN Tea that you enjoy.
Anticipate and Re-route. Try it!
Conclusion:
Like me, you may have done parts of the above steps in your previous attempts. But, like good racquet or golf strokes, choosing one or two of the steps can get the ball going. The pro's spend countless hours improving the COMPLETENESS of their strokes for OPTIMAL IMPACT.
Try it, and I would love to hear if this technique has worked for your personal performance.
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IN SUPPORT OF LEADERS Reach out to me if you would like to brainstorm proactive ways to support your leaders in these challenging times. Happy to help! ******************
I am #CoachWendyWong, passionate about helping talents optimize potential by building leadership skills creatively through coaching and training in Asia. Here's more about what I do: https://www.petadiri.com/
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