WOOP or SMART: Finding the Right Strategy for Your Goals
WOOP, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan is a more free-flowing mindset tool. WOOP may keep you more motivated and resilient.
Highlights
Learn about challenges in goal-setting – obstacles like procrastination can derail progress.
Different goal-setting methods – SMART focuses on structure and precision, while WOOP adds a psychological approach.
Finding what works for you – Choose the one that fits your style, or try a mix of both.
"I want to be happier and more successful in my career." "I want to lose weight and look better." "I want to stop procrastinating and start working on my goals." "I want to learn a new skill so that I can improve myself as an individual and my job prospects."
These are all great intentions, but making them a reality is much more challenging than it seems. Life often gets in the way of our goals. Obstacles, whether external or internal, can derail us from our desired direction of progress.
Challenge Yourself: Learn something new
From a pretty early age, I remember thinking that it would be really cool to learn a new language, like Portuguese, and be able to speak it fluently someday. Something along the lines of being able to travel to Brazil or Portugal and communicate effortlessly with locals or perhaps read Portuguese literature in its original language.
Of course, that would require a fair amount of planning and practicing… which were not exactly my strong suits as a teenager. I always assumed that I'd get my act together and make this happen someday, but never could seem to stick to a consistent study schedule or find the right resources. So, when I entered college, I was determined to make this happen.
SMART Goals
For once, I got a Portuguese learning app and signed up for a course, and I was excited to get started with my lessons. I started visualizing success and was super optimistic about how fluent I would become for once in my life. I set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based) goals in a detailed spreadsheet, outlined my objectives, and created a series of deadlines and benchmarks for the next six months. It was all very clear in my head. But then life happened. Or, more specifically, summer happened.
Some unexpected responsibilities came up that took time away from my studies. I started a part-time job. My language teacher was out of town, so I didn't have regular classes. My friend was in town for a couple of months, and it was much more fun to spend time with him than with grammar and vocabulary exercises (although we had a lot of fun together so that part did work).
Needless to say, I was not prepared when the time for my progress test rolled around. Despite starting off with the best intentions, my SMART goals failed me.
A Better Way?
This isn't to say that SMART goals can't work. But if SMART goals haven't been a good fit for you either, research suggests that there may be a better way to set goals. And what might that look like?
Decades of research
A team of researchers (Duckworth et al., 2011) recruited 66 second-year high school students who would be getting PSAT prep books as part of their summer homework.
One day near the end of the semester, they were asked to complete an assignment that was made to look like it would help them prepare for the writing part of the test.
First, they were asked about their expectations of success ("How likely do you think it is that you will complete all ten practice tests in the PSAT workbook?"). They were also asked a question to gauge their level of motivation ("How important is it to you to complete all ten practice tests in the PSAT workbook?")
Then, they were instructed to write down two positive benefits of completing the practice tests (e.g., "I would feel good about myself") plus two obstacles that might stand in the way (e.g., "I'm too busy").
Some of the students, who were part of the control group, were then asked to write a short essay. The other students (the experimental group) were asked to brainstorm two contingency plans for each of the potential obstacles they identified earlier, using the format "If (obstacle), then I will (solution)."
And did contingency planning for likely obstacles make any difference? The researchers found that both groups had similar expectations for success and equal levels of motivation to complete all ten practice tests over the summer.
If goal achievement was based purely on motivation and confidence alone, you might expect both groups of students to return in the fall with about the same amount of their PSAT prep homework completed.
But that's not what happened.
When the students returned to school in the fall and turned in their workbooks, there was a massive difference in the groups' level of follow-through. The students in the control group averaged 84 practice problems, but the students in the experimental group outperformed them, completing an average of 140 practice problems. Incredible, isn't it? Why was there such a big difference?
WOOP!
In research circles, this particular goal-setting strategy is known as "mental contrasting with implementation intentions." Or more commonly, WOOP, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan.
Here's how to set a WOOP goal for yourself:
Wish: Come up with a meaningful goal, something vital to you that you're willing to work for.
Outcome: Visualize the future where you've achieved your goal. Be sure to imagine not just how it'll look when you've gotten there but also how it'll feel to accomplish your goal.
Obstacle: Imagining success is great, but there are inevitably going to be speed bumps and hurdles along the way. So, just as the students in today's study did, be sure to imagine and visualize some of the obstacles that are likely to get in the way. Note that these obstacles should be internal rather than external – i.e., things you control, like negative thoughts, emotions, bad habits, or tendencies.
Plan: Create an if/then contingency plan for overcoming these obstacles.
So, if you've ever tried setting SMART goals and found yourself falling short, don't give up on goal setting quite yet. Try the WOOP approach and see if this might help you overcome the sticking points that have bested you in the past.
In comparison:
• SMART goals are very specific and objective, while WOOP goals start as more abstract "wishes" that you drill into with further steps to overcome possible obstacles. SMART may be better for precise or work-related goals, while WOOP can apply to broader life changes.
• SMART focuses heavily on parameters and metrics, whereas WOOP incorporates the psychological aspects of overcoming challenges through obstacle visualization and planning. WOOP may keep you more motivated and resilient.
• SMART follows a rigid goal formula, and WOOP is a more free-flowing mindset tool. Some find WOOP more creative and inspiring, while others prefer the clear structure of SMART goals.
• There is no evidence that either SMART or WOOP goals are more effective. Both can work well and may even be combined. The approach that resonates most with your needs and motivations will likely be the most useful for you.
In summary, both SMART and WOOP are proven goal-setting techniques. SMART provides a framework for highly objective and actionable goals. WOOP takes a more visualization-based approach, helping you work through psychological obstacles. There is no definitive evidence that either is superior. The methods you choose depend on your needs, thinking style, and the types of goals you want to achieve. You may also use a combination of SMART and WOOP techniques. So, to determine which is better for you, consider your goals and which approach resonates most with you!
Additional resources
Learn more about the WOOP method and practice using this website: woopmylife
See an example of WOOP in action: Dave Levin at Character Lab
Listen to this Hidden Brain podcast episode on WOOP