WOOP

Muscat Semifredo
Aug 24, 2017 · 3 min read

I summarize books, podcast, videos, or long articles that I’ve come across. More often than not, great conversations, ideas, or tips shared in these mediums tend to require a significant investment of time in order to glean anything valuable from them. This is my resource for future reference & application. You’re welcome to it too.

Image from BeHappyBeMe

Podcast: Hidden Brain, ep 30: Woop

Summary: Positive thinking and indulging in fantasies about the future feels good. However, these feelings may induce a false sense of accomplishment and actually derail our efforts into achieving them. A Professor of Psychology at New York University, Gabriele Oettingen shares her approach to overcoming life challenges with her concept of “WOOP”.


Positive fantasies come from a need within us. They are not necessarily bad as they are the beginning of action. They give direction but not energy or impetus to act. Therefore, people relax and feel that they are already there.

This is because the pleasure (dopamine hit) you get from daydreaming that goal is so similar to the feeling of actually completing the goal, so you feel satiated with daydreaming alone without having to do the actual work.

Using the acronym WOOP created by Oettingen, we can avoid the pitfalls of spending too much time on thinking positively with the tools of mental contrasting.

Wish: What is your most important wish or concern? Pick a wish that feels challenging but that you can reasonably fulfill within the next four weeks.

Outcome: If your wish is fulfilled, where would that leave you? What would be the best, most positive outcome? How would fulfilling your wish make you feel?
Identify your best outcome and take a moment to imagine it as fully as you can.

Obstacle: What is it within you that holds you back from fulfilling your wish? It might be an emotion, an irrational belief, or a bad habit. Think more deeply — what is it really?
Identify your main inner obstacle and take a moment to imagine it fully.

Plan: What can you do to overcome your obstacle? Identify one action you can take or one thought you can think to overcome your obstacle.

Make the following plan for yourself:
“If… (obstacle), then I will … (action or thought).”

Example: If I am afraid of getting rejected in an interview, I will recall my past work achievements to assure myself.

Other resources:

Oettingen’s book: Rethinking Positive Thinking

WOOP app: http://woopmylife.org/

Tweet at @muscatsemi with any podcast suggestions you’d like me to summarize.

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