WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan)
Turn a good intention into an if-then plan that fires automatically when you need it
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 88%
WOOP is a four-step, research-backed method for converting knowledge into automatic action. First state the Wish (the goal). Then vividly imagine the Outcome you hope to accomplish, which energizes you and shows what's at stake. Next name the chief Obstacle that tends to stand in the way. Finally build a Plan, specifically an if-then implementation intention that pairs the obstacle cue with the exact tool you'll deploy: 'if X happens, then I will do Y.' You write it out and rehearse it a few times. Because the plan pre-links a concrete trigger to a concrete response, the tool activates when it's actually needed rather than being forgotten. Kross notes the structure mirrors how Navy SEALs pre-plan missions, listing goals, obstacles and if-then responses and quizzing each other to lock them in.
Origin
Scientists developed the WOOP framework to close the well-documented gap between knowing regulation tools and using them; Kross features it as the 'From Knowing to Doing' chapter of his book 'Shift.'
Core principles
- 01Knowing a tool is worthless if you don't deploy it in the moment you need it
- 02A vivid outcome supplies the motivation to act
- 03Naming the specific obstacle in advance is what makes the plan trigger
- 04An if-then plan links a concrete cue to a concrete response
- 05Rehearsal makes the plan automatic
How to run it
- 1
Wish
Name your goal in a single clear sentence, e.g. 'not to have a huge reaction when my kids don't listen.'
Pro tip Keep it specific to one recurring situation rather than a sweeping life goal.
- 2
Outcome
Vividly imagine the positive result of fulfilling the wish, such as a closer, happier family with fewer arguments. This energizes commitment.
Pro tip Make the mental picture concrete and personally meaningful so it actually motivates you.
- 3
Obstacle
Identify the chief obstacle in the way, e.g. hearing the kids talk back instantly triggers an impulsive reaction rooted in childhood.
Pro tip Be honest about the real internal trigger, not a convenient external excuse.
Watch out Skipping this step is why generic plans fail; the obstacle is the cue the plan hooks onto.
- 4
Plan (if-then)
Write an if-then plan linking the obstacle to a shifter: 'If I see them fighting, then I'll ask how I'll feel about this a year from now,' or broaden perspective. Rehearse it several times.
Pro tip Plug in the specific shifters you've already found work best for you.
In the wild
Kross walks through a personal WOOP: Wish, don't blow up when his daughters talk back; Outcome, a closer, happier, less argumentative family; Obstacle, their disrespect instantly triggers childhood memories and an impulsive reaction; Plan, 'if I see them fighting or being disrespectful, then I'll think about how I'll feel a year from now, or remind myself their brains are still developing.' He writes and rehearses it so the shifter fires in the moment.
→ The regulation tool activates automatically at the trigger instead of being forgotten.
Kross notes SEAL teams use a near-identical structure: they specify the goal and desired outcome, list every obstacle that might arise, and build an if-then response for each. They then go around the room Socratic-style, calling on each other to confirm everyone has the plan intact before the mission.
→ One of the world's most effective organizations locks in its plans using the same four-part logic.
Common mistakes
Making a vague plan, not an if-then
A general resolution ('I'll stay calm') has no cue to trigger it; the power comes from pairing a specific obstacle with a specific response.
Skipping rehearsal
Writing the plan once isn't enough; rehearsing it a few times is what makes the tool activate automatically when the obstacle appears.
Is it for you?
Best for
Anyone with a specific recurring emotional trigger they want to respond to differently and reliably.
Not ideal for
Vague, goalless situations where there is no identifiable cue or obstacle to plan around.
From the transcript
“Whoop is an acronym... W, that's the wish. What is your goal?”
“it's what we call an if-then plan. If my I see my daughters fighting... then... you plug in your shifter”
“this is something very similar to what the Navy SEALs do before they have missions”
From the episode
How To Stop Feeling Negative Emotions All The Time - Dr Ethan Kross - #914
Dr Ethan Kross