W.O.O.P. Your Way Back on Track: A Mid-Year Goal Check-in
- Dilek Süzal
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
This time of year, comes with a shared feeling; not "failure", but a "drift" in my coaching conversations. A sense that time passed quickly, but progress didn’t feel meaningful.
If that’s where you are, you’re not alone.
Good news is, you don’t need more pressure, you need perspective! And the beginning of July is the perfect time for a mid-year check-in.
Problem: The Mid-Year Drift
You had New Years’ Resolutions (we all had them, right?). But somewhere between the Q1 adrenaline and the Q2 exhaustion, momentum slipped. Without a system for mid-year reflection, even the most driven professionals can lose sight of what matters.
Solution: The W.O.O.P. Framework for Realignment
One of the most effective, research-backed systems I recommend is the W.O.O.P. Method developed by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen.
In her insightful talk, “Rethinking Positive Thinking” Oettingen explains why positive thinking does not change behaviour alone and how W.O.O.P. helps turn positive intentions into actionable and realistic plans.
W.O.O.P. stands for:
Wish: Clarify what you truly want (beyond surface-level goals).
Outcome: Visualize the best result to fuel motivation.
Obstacle: Identify internal/external barriers that might hold you back.
Plan: Create “if-then” strategies to overcome those obstacles.
Oettingen’s research shows that combining positive thinking with a realistic assessment of obstacles, called mental contrasting, significantly improves goal achievement and resilience, especially when motivation fades away.
Here are 3 Mid-Year Reset Tips you can start with:
🔹 #1 - Block the Time and Rewrite your Goals as Questions
Schedule a 45-minute “mid-year review” in your calendar. Rewrite your goals; instead of “Finish X,” ask: “What would it take to move X forward joyfully in July?” Questions invite exploration. Exploration reduces pressure.
🔹 #2 - Use W.O.O.P. and Share Your Plan
Write down your Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan for your top 1-2 goals. Tell your coach, a colleague or mentor your plan. Accountability increases follow-through.
🔹 #3 - Give a Deadline
Set a September “re-check” date now. This creates a natural deadline and momentum.
If you're a professional ready for meaningful action and need an educated accountability partner, my one-on-one coaching programs are open for enrolment now, with new participants starting immediately or in September.
Let’s make your mid-year check-in count. I’d love to talk!
Warmly,
Dilek
Official Collaboration Partners:
★ Lead Coach at the global coaching platform BetterUp based in USA.
★ Executive Coach and Trainer at SparkUs based in Turkey and Netherlands.
★ Impact Partner for coaching, training & facilitation projects at leadership experts Think Beyond Group based in Austria.
★ Leadership Coach at Percoms AG, based in Switzerland.
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