A WOOP That Lasts Past January
Most New Year's resolutions fail within weeks, but research shows a specific planning technique can dramatically improve long-term success. This article explores how linking obstacles to automatic actions creates sustainable behavior change, with insights from experts who study goal achievement. Learn why anticipating challenges—rather than ignoring them—is the key to making resolutions stick beyond January.
Link Obstacles to Automatic Actions
WOOP is beneficial to my work because it helps me use mental contrasting to close the gap between intention and behavior. I help clients imagine the positive outcome of a goal, then immediately think of a specific, personal obstacle they will encounter along the way. This process builds strong links between the obstacle and the actions needed to overcome it, creating an automatic response when facing future obstacles.
An example from my practice is when I helped a client who wished to improve their sleep hygiene to be more productive at work. The main obstacle we identified was revenge bedtime procrastination, things like looking at social media to be in control of their time after a stressful day. The client was then given the plan of, "If I have the impulse to look at my phone when I'm in bed, I will put the phone on the charger in the hallway and read a book on my nightstand instead." By identifying the specific impulse as an obstacle for the client, they were able to replace a pleasure-seeking behavior with one that promotes sleep. This made the resolution far more likely to withstand the test of time.
Book Weekly Review Sessions
Put WOOP on the calendar as a standing weekly meeting with yourself, and treat it like any other important appointment. Use a short agenda that reviews the wish, scores last week’s outcome, names the top obstacle, and updates the plan. Protect the time by setting reminders and using a meeting title that signals purpose and urgency.
Keep the session brief so it stays easy to honor even on busy weeks. Add a monthly reflection note to capture lessons and reset targets for the next month. Open your calendar now and book the next four check-ins.
Attach Plans to Daily Anchors
Make WOOP stick by tying it to routines that already happen without fail. Link the if-then plan to a daily anchor such as morning coffee, a commute, or lights-out at night. Let the routine be the cue, and keep the WOOP step small enough to fit into that moment.
Use the same place and time to train the brain to expect the behavior. When the routine shifts, pick a new anchor right away to keep momentum. Choose one routine today and attach a single WOOP action to it.
Track Micro Wins and Adjust Early
Long-term success grows when small steps are tracked and obstacles are handled before they pile up. Break the wish into tiny actions that take minutes, and record each one in a simple log. Use a streak or points to make progress easy to see and feel.
Review the log weekly to spot patterns in obstacles, then write a fresh if-then move for the next likely snag. Treat misses as data, not drama, and adjust scope so wins keep coming. Start a one-page micro-win tracker and log today’s first step.
Place Bold Cues Where They Count
Visual cues can carry a WOOP from memory into action when motivation dips. Place a simple if-then line where it matters most, such as on a fridge door, a desk edge, or a phone lock screen. Use bold colors and a few words that are easy to read in a hurry.
Refresh the cue each week so it stays visible to the mind and does not fade into the background. Put cues near likely obstacles so the plan appears at the exact moment of need. Create one clear visual cue and place it where you will see it today.
Use Social Accountability for Consistency
Social pressure can turn a short burst of effort into a steady habit by adding real stakes. Share the WOOP with a friend, a team, or a small online group, and set a clear check-in day. Make the outcome metric visible, and ask for honest feedback when obstacles show up.
Build a simple reward for follow-through and a small consequence for skipped steps. Keep the circle trusted so the support stays kind and consistent. Tell one person your WOOP and schedule the first check-in now.