Many of us are familiar with the S.M.A.R.T of goal setting. Goal setting involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-targeted goals. But are you familiar with the three W’s of goal achievement? And are you familiar with their connection to hope?
I first read about waypower and willpower in C.R. Snyder‘s book, The Psychology of Hope. After reading more of Snyder’s research, I decided to add another W- whypower. Whypower may increase willpower, but I decided to give it it’s own title.
1. Waypower- The plan to get you there. Come up with a step by step plan to achieve your goal. This is the path that you are going to take. Come up with an alternative route. When you find roadblocks along the way, you may not need to change goals- you may just need to adjust your route.
2. Willpower- The motivation and energy it will take to get you there. Come up with a list of ways to motivate yourself to reach this goal. Write this list down and look at it everyday. Focus on the feeling. How will you feel once you reach your goal? In order to accomplish your goal, you will need to stay motivated. Getting in touch with the emotion associated with the goal can help you stay on course.
3. Whypower- Knowing why you want to get there. Know why you want to achieve your goal. Do not lose sight of why you want this so badly. How will it impact your life? How will this accomplishment improve your life? What do you have to lose by not achieving your goal? What is at stake?
Snyder’s research also showed that goal accomplishment increases hope. Studies show that higher hope people are less depressed, less anxious, less likely to consider suicide as a way out, more likely to do well in school and in careers, more likely to bounce back after crisis, and more enthusiastic about life.
One of the best things for people who are feeling hopeless is to accomplish a goal. It doesn’t have to be anything significant. I have had clients go home and clean out a kitchen drawer and feel better. Having a sense of accomplishment really is important to our emotional health.
Take a long hard look at why you want to accomplish your goal. What is your whypower? The real reason may not be so obvious.
My client’s whypower for cleaning out the kitchen drawer was about so much more than straightening a messy drawer. The bigger reason was to lessen her depression, feel less stressed, and increase her level of hope. Cleaning the drawer was a baby step towards a much larger goal.
Without identifying whypower, the client might have assumed that a clean drawer would be her only gain. Whypower helped her to look at a much bigger picture. The kitchen drawer was only the beginning of a snowball of positive momentum.
What can you do today to create positive momentum in your life? Don’t be afraid to start small. Small things often lead to large change.
Love this post, especially the idea of waypower! Coming up with alternatives when life throws up roadblocks! I come across this all the time and the need to identify ways in which to motivate yourself. Thank you for sharing!
Great to here from you, Kristin. I like waypower and creating alternatives, too.
Incredible post. Whypower is really needed when it comes to your goals. My goal is to start soft toys store and I needed this badly “WHYPOWER”. Mine is to make all people smile and feel them rejuvenated….Thanks Kristin for this lovely post..very much needed post especially for me.. 🙂
Great! Use your whypower to help keep you motivated. Picture yourself already having your soft toys store. What emotion do you feel? I wish you all the best
Thanks Kristin it will really help me and one day I will be spreading smiles all over the world.. 🙂
What a great post! This makes me excited for my future goal achievement. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
You are so welcome. I am excited that you are excited! 🙂
I LOVE that Kristin – an excellent supplement to the existing Goal Achieving ideals. 🙂
Thank you, Stuart. I love your posts and your teachings. You are doing great things for people. Thank you for sharing my post with your readers. I became attached to hope research several years ago when I was working in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Many people were there because they had lost hope. Goal achievement really helped them, as did the three W’s. Have a great day!
You too Kristin – you are making a huge difference to those you come into contact with and those you don’t. 🙂
Reblogged this on the ChangeYourLife blog and commented:
If you’re familiar with goal setting and achieving, using SMART goals etc. – well this is an excellent supplement to that, and one that I’ll be using from now on…
Had to reblog that. 🙂
Great stuff, but I would put ‘why power’ at #1; without it, the other two are meaningless…
So true!
Great post! Thank you!!!
You are so welcome!
Hello Kristin!
I just wanted you to know, I have nominated you for the “Very Inspiring Blogger” Award! It’s a Peer-to-Peer Award as I understand. You can find out more about the details here on it: http://gwendolynndedanaan.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/p-a-u-1st-ever-award-nomination-very-inspiring-blogger/
Thank you for being an inspiration to my life and others. 🙂
Gwendolynn, Thank you so much! I am honored. I will go to your site and check it out. You put a smile on my face. 🙂
You’re very welcome! Thank you again! I’m also very glad that I have put a smile on your face. 😀
Your latest posts have been right on and just what I have needed lately! Thank you!!!! Seriously. Thank you!
I am so glad. You are very welcome!
Wonderful work Kristin, such a candid and beautiful way of reaching out to others and providing truly useful tools for empowerment. Also, I appreciate you stopping by and liking my blog. Thank you:)
You are welcome! Have a great day. 🙂
Thanks Kristin. 🙂