Negative Thinking Can Be Useful

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.