On dreaming new dreams
And a framework to help you achieve your dreams
There’s something about a new year that feels fresh and inspiring. There’s an air of possibility and magic, of renewal, of dreaming new dreams and walking new paths. We have an opportunity, as the calendar changes, to pause and assess what is working and what isn’t. To look back at a period of 12 months and see what we have accomplished and to look forward to another 12 months and consider what we would like to call in.
I’ve spent the first two weeks of this year refining and tweaking and adding to my goals, which aren’t really goals in the conventional sense — more a list of projects and classes that I want to work on, art and writing challenges that I want to take part in, things that I want to create, and practices that I want to deepen and expand.
Some of these are related to my word of the year, BUILD, which you can read about here. Some of these are ideas that have been rattling around in my mind, but that haven’t seen the light of day because of my stressful 9 to 5 job. But now that I’ve hung up my corporate boots and entered what I am calling my Victorian Era, I finally have the time to pull those ideas out into the light.
There’s a part of me that wants to just begin, but I’m holding that impulse in check. I’ve often begun projects in a rush of energy that has fizzled out and led me to abandon the project, all because I did not take the time to lay some groundwork to address potential roadblocks and energy slumps.
Now that I have the time and the spaciousness to actually build on some of my ideas, I want to take the time to do it right. To set up some structures and scaffoldings. To determine some milestones and markers. To gather some ideas and create a runway before I take off, full speed ahead.
Studio Diaries is a free weekly newsletter exploring art and creative living. Sign up to receive notes on the creative life, a monthly sketchbook/creative prompt, as well as short process videos and pages from my art journals.
I want to share one of the frameworks that I am using as I structure and set up some of my bigger goals/projects. It’s one I came across a few years ago that I didn’t care for in its original form — it was too business-ey and coach-ey and optimized.
But, it is based on 20 years of research in the science of motivation1, so I decided to go to the original source and read up about it. It turns out, the original framework isn’t as “tech-bro-ey” and icky as the version I first came across. It’s something that I can work with. So, I decided to give it a try this year.
The WOOP method
WOOP stands for Wish Outcome Obstacle Plan. When you WOOP your goal or intention, focus on the thoughts, images, and feelings associated with your goal rather than being rational and logical.
Carve out some time when you can sit down with your journal and try and WOOP your goals. I would suggest WOOPing one or two of the biggest goals or projects that you are working on this year.
Wish: Your wish is basically the goal or intention that you’re working on/towards. It can be anything from writing a book to deepening your creative practice. Set a time frame for how long it will take you to achieve this goal — weeks, months, or years — if applicable. The thing I really like about this framework is that it also works for intentions that do not have a timeframe, which makes it a great framework to use when you’re trying to build a habit or routine, too!
Outcome: What would be the best thing about fulfilling your wish? What’s the best outcome that you can imagine? How would fulfilling your wish make you feel? Your outcome doesn’t have to be tangible and measurable, it can be feelings-based. I love that about this framework!
Obstacle: What mental obstacles will you face as you start to work on your wish? What is it within you that could hold you back from fulfilling your wish? Do you tend to have shiny object syndrome? A loud inner critic? A tendency towards perfectionism? What are the main inner obstacles you’re likely to encounter as you pursue this wish? List them out.
Plan: Make an If-Then plan — a way in which you will deal with these obstacle when they arise. What actions can you take or thoughts you can think to overcome your obstacles? Keep your If-Then plan handy, so you know what to do when you throw up obstacles in your own path.
Go forth and WOOP your goals!
This is fantastic information and inspiration. I have used a similar process - clarify my goal(s), idenity the rewards, anticipate obstacles or challenges and creating a supportive environent (skills, strategy, resources and support to overcome the potential challenges). For the nitty gritty of a timeline, I work backwards, starting with the end goal. What has to happen right before that, and then before that, ad so on until you come to your starting point. Now you have your plan. I completed my first published novel this way (not just writing the book, but finding an editor/ networking/securing a publisher, meeting deadlines, book in hand and first book signing).
I love this so much!