Skip to content
Notebook Generator

Manifestation

WOOP: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan

Dream, then name the obstacle and plan for it.

Where it comes from

WOOP was developed by Gabriele Oettingen, a psychology professor at New York University and the University of Hamburg, from her work on mental contrasting, combined with Peter Gollwitzer's implementation intentions (if-then plans). She wrote about it in Rethinking Positive Thinking (2014).

Key books

  • Gabriele Oettingen, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation (2014)

The core idea

Positive fantasies on their own can make you feel as if you have already arrived and reduce effort. Contrasting the wished-for future with the obstacle inside you, and planning what to do when it appears, connects the dream to action.

How to practise it

  1. 1Wish: name an important wish that is challenging but feasible.
  2. 2Outcome: imagine the best outcome and how it would feel, for a minute.
  3. 3Obstacle: find the main inner obstacle, such as a habit, emotion or belief, and imagine it.
  4. 4Plan: write an if-then plan: “If [obstacle], then I will [action].”

What it can help with

  • Goals you keep postponing
  • Habits such as exercise, study or eating
  • Checking whether a wish is realistic

Further reading