WOOP it up
It’s remarkable just how much the bitter cold and string of grey days can dampen motivation and zest. Are you feeling similarly?
Now, I’m not saying there isn’t great joy to be experienced in the depths of winter. Here, our family is often out, snow or shine—traipsing, forest dog-walking, and enjoying nature. Still, I’ve also heard from many of my learner-clients and students from my big learning skill courses that it feels extra challenging to find that get-up-and-go.
Maybe you caught my September 2024 newsletter, now blog post, in which I describe my new approach for when days get harder: that is, to go softer. It’s really about challenging the pressure to persevere or “push through.” Instead, it invites us to consider a different way altogether—namely, softening the edges.
No matter which side you’re on—gearing up or, as I am becoming an increasing advocate of, gearing down—they’re just two of the learning strategies we can turn to.
A third strategy, perhaps the most common, is goal-setting.
Not so SMART after all?
If I were to ask you, “What’s the best way to get your motivation back?” you might say, “To set a goal for something I’d really like to do, experience, or accomplish.”
Makes sense. After all, goals get us started and build momentum.
If I followed up with another question—“How will you reach that goal?”—you might bring up the SMART method.
That’s because SMART is everywhere—boardrooms, classrooms, most rooms.
S for specific
M for measurable
A for achievable
R for realistic
T for time-bound
While there are variations on the exact breakdown of SMART, they all follow the same basic approach.
A small tangent—this all feels akin to how “learning styles” do not actually exist, yet are still assumed, mentioned, and sometimes even taught in teacher’s colleges! The notion that there’s a “visual learner” or “kinaesthetic learner” has long been debunked. Even if there were such things as “styles,” learners would be well-advised to learn outside of the “style” that comes most easily. Yet, learning styles are everywhere.
But I digress. The point is, there are so many things we assume to be good and true—when that might not actually be the case.
Back to SMART goals. I’m all for scaffolding our motivations (though motivation alone is insufficient for action), just as I’m all for having aims, ambitions, and aspirations (though these, too, aren’t enough on their own to spur or sustain action).
What I’m not for, however, are generic, often unquestioned “systems.”
As a learning strategist, I live in a world of systems—methods and matrices, tools and tricks, apps and advice. What I avoid at all costs is recreating or re-sharing learning strategies that might actually do more harm than good.
SMART falls into that category. Why? Because it’s just not that smart of a motivational, goal-setting system.
While there are plenty of reasons to avoid SMART goals, here are the key ones worth mentioning:
It was never designed for personal growth. Originally created for business managers trying to get workers to meet performance objectives, it’s no surprise that it often falls flat for academic goals, entrepreneurial dreams, and health aspirations.
It’s uninspired. The “A” in SMART stands for “achievable” or “attainable,” which is both limiting and presumptive—it assumes constraints on what a person can or can’t accomplish.
It’s cold. If motivation is one of the main reasons people set goals in the first place, then the “R” for realistic keeps us stuck in the thinking phase—shrinking ambitions before they even begin.
So then what is a smarter way to set goals and move towards them? WOOP.
What’s the big WOOP?
I love (LOVE) WOOP goals—not just because they’re fun to say. I’ve been using them for a year or two now, and I’ve found they resonate deeply with student-clients, parents, and chosen families alike.
WOOP offers so much more meaning and motivational power. It stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan.
Yes, it’s another acronym—but unlike SMART, it builds in support for procrastination and setbacks. Here’s how:
Wish — Name that big goal, aim, or ambition. Simple as that. No limits or measures of ability.
Outcome — Think and feel through the benefits, rewards, and positive changes that would come from reaching your goal. What would life be like? How would you feel? What does your goal truly mean to you? What ripple effects would it create? Consider the larger significance and impact of achieving your goal—on your health, work, family, relationships, and beyond.
Obstacle — Consider the potential pitfalls and setbacks that could prevent you from reaching your goal. What about procrastination, distractions, or old habits? Think deeply about both internal and external roadblocks—what might stand in the way of making progress toward your goals?
Plan — For each obstacle you’ve identified, you’ll make a plan to overcome it. Use this format to get started: “If I [OBSTACLE], then I will [TACTIC].”
Here’s an example to help illustrate; My Wish is to become physically stronger, with the Outcome of having more energy to spend with my family. To reach my goal, I’ve decided to commit to going to the gym 4x a week. One of my Obstacles is that I may cancel my gym time if it’s going to longer than expected to get myself organized. My Plan will be “If I procrastinate in getting my gym stuff ready leaving me with less time than anticipated for my workout, then I will make sure to walk home from the gym to make up some of the lost time.”
This Plan allows me to be forthright by identifying that procrastination is an inner obstacle, and allows me to take accountability for that by making a plan to face it when it arrises.
Here is a lovely WOOP worksheet from Oregon State University to try yourself or share with a learner in the context of school. Here is Yale’s Dr. Laurie Santos talking to younger learners about WOOP in the context of flourishing.
Best of all, Awakened Learning’s own Dr. Rachelle Thibodeau shared her WOOP wisdom in a recent group learning strategy session. We had a great turnout to her talk, but if you missed it you can still purchase the recording for a limited time! Use the discount code DEENA10 for 10% OFF at checkout as a thank-you to our newsletter subscribers.
Wishing you kind learning,
Deena
