WOOP, There It Is: A Smarter Way to Motivate Yourself at Work and in Life

By Dr. Meagan Yarmey, PhD, MA, MSW, RSW

Psychotherapist | Social-Personality Psychologist | Career Mental Health Specialist

Calming workspace reminder to breathe and stay composed, with quirky mug and minimalistic desk setup.

We all love a good motivational quote, preferably over a sunrise or forest path. “Dream big,” it says. “You can do anything.” Maybe it gives you a boost. Maybe it makes you roll your eyes.

But science suggests we’re often going about motivation the wrong way.

Enter WOOP: a deceptively simple technique rooted in research on mental contrasting — a psychological skill that can help you bridge the gap between wishful thinking and meaningful action.

This isn’t about rah-rah positivity or manifesting outcomes through sheer will. This is about sharpening your focus, clarifying what matters, and giving your brain the right kind of friction to move forward — especially at work, during transitions, or when goals feel stuck.

What Is WOOP?

Developed by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen, WOOP stands for:

Wish

Outcome

Obstacle

Plan

It’s a structured, evidence-based approach to goal setting that blends dreaming with reality-checking — a kind of "cognitive double vision" that allows us to imagine success and anticipate the internal roadblocks that might sabotage us. This is known as mental contrasting.

"Optimism makes you feel better, but mental contrasting makes you do better."

— Gabriele Oettingen

In other words, hope is helpful, but clarity is what gets us moving.

The Science of Mental Contrasting

Mental contrasting activates both goal commitment and strategic self-regulation (Oettingen et al., 2001). It helps shift abstract desires into concrete behavioral intentions.

Unlike traditional visualization (which can backfire by creating a false sense of progress), mental contrasting forces you to reckon with what might get in your way — internally. It’s the difference between "I want to speak up more in meetings" and "I want to speak up more in meetings, but I often second-guess myself — so I’ll prepare one talking point in advance."

That's more than a mindset shift. That’s a neurocognitive upgrade.

WOOP at Work: Value-Based Motivation for Grown-Ups

Here's how WOOP — and the skill of mental contrasting — supports value-based goals in real life and leadership:

1. Wish (What Do You Want, Really?)

Don’t just say “be more productive” or “get promoted.” Get honest. Maybe your wish is “feel confident giving feedback” or “have more autonomy over my schedule.”

This is where values clarification comes in — a skill from ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) and a foundation of psychological flexibility. If your wish isn’t rooted in your values, it will become one more empty checkbox.

Social-Cognitive Boost: Self-concordant goal theory (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999) shows that goals aligned with your core values are more sustainable and satisfying.

2. Outcome (What Would Success Look Like?)

Picture it — but not in a cheesy way. What would achieving this feel like in your body? What would it change?

This activates implementation intentions and episodic future thinking — evidence-based cognitive strategies that sharpen motivation by making goals tangible (Gollwitzer, 1999).

3. Obstacle (What’s Actually in the Way?)

This is the heart of mental contrasting. Identify the internal obstacle. Not "my boss is terrible," but “I tend to freeze when I feel challenged.” Not "I don’t have time," but “I numb out on my phone when I’m anxious.”

Naming the internal block interrupts cognitive avoidance and builds metacognitive awareness — a key skill for emotional intelligence and leadership.

Social Psych Lens: Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) tells us we change when our behavior clashes with our self-concept — but only if we face that dissonance squarely.

4. Plan (What Will I Do When That Happens?)

This is the “If–Then” moment: If I notice I’m shutting down, then I’ll take one breath and speak up anyway. If I feel stuck, then I’ll text my accountability partner.

This is called implementation planning — and it dramatically increases the odds that we’ll follow through, especially under pressure (Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006).

WOOP for Workplace Change Agents

Use WOOP when you're:

• Giving tough feedback

• Facing imposter syndrome

• Trying to set better boundaries

• Launching a new role or project

Shifting a pattern of people-pleasing or perfectionism

It’s not just a productivity tool. It’s a mindset scaffold — one that helps you pause, orient toward your values, and act with intention.

This Isn’t Magic. It’s Maturity.

Social psychology tells us we are deeply influenced by context — but mental contrasting is one of those rare tools that lets us interrupt that context. It’s self-leadership in action.

And yes, it works for life outside of work too — like navigating difficult relationships, making health changes, or parenting with more patience and self-trust.

How to Try WOOP in 5 Minutes

Wish: What’s one small, meaningful goal for this week?

Outcome: What would success feel like?

Obstacle: What’s the internal habit or reaction that might trip you up?

Plan: If that obstacle shows up, what’s your plan?

Do it in writing. Keep it simple. Repeat as needed.

If you’re a high-achieving professional struggling to do less reacting and more choosing — WOOP might be a good place to start.

And if you want support translating insight into sustainable change, I can help. I work with driven adults who want to lead and live with more psychological flexibility, purpose, and calm.

Book a free 20-minute consultation: info@meaganyarmey.ca

About Me

Dr. Meagan Yarmey, PhD, MSW, MA, RSW

I’m a Registered Social Worker and Social-Personality Psychologist with over 20 years of experience helping professionals develop clarity, courage, and emotional agility. I blend evidence-based therapies like CBT, ACT, and DBT with career psychology, Buddhist-informed practices, and a deep understanding of high-performance mindset challenges.

References

Oettingen, G. (2014). Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation. Current.

Oettingen, G., Pak, H., & Schnetter, K. (2001). Self-regulation of goal setting: Turning free fantasies about the future into binding goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(5), 736–753.

Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.

Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta‐analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.

Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.

Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 482–497.