Did you know that
negative thoughts can help you achieve positive goals?
We generally believe
positive thinking is the way to keep ourselves motivated and on track
toward where we want to be. But envisioning a positive end result
can turn out badly. Your brain starts to think you have already
achieved your goal, and then obstacles become insurmountable.
What is necessary is
a balance of positive with negative thinking. In other words, a dose
of realism. This technique is called mental contrasting. It has been
popularized by motivation researcher Dr. Gabriele Oettingen.
Dr. Oettingen
discovered that the obstacles we think are preventing us from
reaching our goals might actually be able to lead us to fulfillment.
She developed a strategy called WOOP to help use negative thoughts
positively.
WOOP stands
for the four steps of the process: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. The
Wish is the desired goal. The Outcome is the result or consequence
when the wish is fulfilled.
The Obstacle is not
an external barrier. Identifying the inner Obstacle allows you to
find the energy and path necessary to overcome it and fulfill the
wish. The Plan addresses how to deal with the obstacle. It is a
response, either action or thought, that we can employ. Oettingen
states this as the formula, “If [obstacle], then I will [action].”
This is your plan to overcome the obstacle and achieve your goal.
0ettingen’s
strategy uses negative thoughts about obstacles to create mental
tension. You visualize not only the positive final achievement of
your goal, but the negatives you must overcome along the path. That’s
why you need a plan.
You can create an
implementation intention, an “if-then” plan to help automate your
actions. This is a situational cue to initiate a predetermined
goal-directed action on your part. If your path toward a weight loss
goal involves a 30-minute workout during the lunch hour, but you know
you sometimes don’t have time for a full hour break, your plan
might be “If I don’t have time for my lunch break workout, I will
walk around the neighborhood for a half hour after I park the car in
the driveway but before I go into the house.”
Don’t just reject
negative thoughts. Use them to counteract overactive positive
thoughts in order to achieve your goals.
