Ok, so let’s ask the question, how are those New Year’s resolutions working out? Ever wondered why New Year’s resolutions rarely work? With NLP well-formed outcomes, people can go beyond unrealistic goals to achieve significant life changes.
Those of you who follow our published posts will know that I am forever talking about the value of setting clear, well thought out goals with a solid strategy that will enable that goal to become a reality.
Whether you’re beginning to think about an optimistic new direction in your professional career or ready to create change in your life regardless of the date on the calendar, establishing well-formed outcomes with NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is a proven way to stick to your guns and achieve your goals.
Read on to discover how to create well-formed outcomes and realise your potential for growth and prosperity for the year ahead.
What is a Well-Formed Outcome in NLP?
A “well-formed outcome” is a term that originated in neuro-linguistic programming for achieving a desired outcome. Beyond goal setting, well-formed outcomes give people a direction that informs choices and delivers progress to meet and satisfy that outcome.
Well-formed outcomes aim to reduce interruptions to that outcome internally and externally. With NLP, people develop well-formed ideals based on their intrinsic identity, motivations, capabilities, and lifestyle.
In 1979, the original creators of NLP, Richard Bandler and John Grinder defined well-formed outcomes as,
“A well-formed outcome is a term originating in Neuro-Linguistic Programming for an outcome one wishes to achieve that meets certain conditions designed to avoid unintended costs or consequences and resistance to achieving the goal resulting from internal conflicting feelings or thoughts about the outcome.”
This notion has further developed into the following key elements:
Want to = motivation: The client must believe that the goal is achievable.
How to = means: The client must have or develop the realistic knowledge of the physical & mental steps necessary to achieve the goal.
Chance to = opportunity: The client requires the resources to put the strategy into effect and have the ability to deal effectively with interference, blocks, and resistance that are going to happen.
Agreed Evidence = assessment of progress: The client needs to be clear on the evidence of progress, sensory-specific evidence (See, hear, feel) which enables clients to really focus on the progress they are making towards their desired change and future outcome.
What Else is Going On Here?
Well-formed outcomes in NLP encapsulate morals, ethics, relationships, finances, and health to create change and build belief. Essentially, we can distinguish a well-formed outcome with the distinction between merely wanting something in theory and achieving it in practice.
Defining whether your outcome is well-formed relies on applying what’s known as “well-formedness conditions”.
Exploring The Steps
The 6 Well-Formedness Conditions
In NLP best practice, for an outcome to be well-formed and high quality, it must adhere to the following six conditions:
1. A Positive Statement: Ensure your goal is positively stated with what you want and not what you don’t want to achieve. Well-formed conditions require clearly defined standards for goal setting.
2. A Possible Reality: It seems obvious, but your outcome needs to be possible to achieve. It’s no use having a desired outcome of an impossible nature. You will only set yourself up for failure.
3. Represented in the Sensory System: Make sure your goal is attainable through the senses rather than theoretically or conceptually. For example, you can see, hear, smell, or touch the outcome.
4. The Means to Achieve: Ensure you have all the resources available to achieve your outcome, whether that’s people, time, equipment, or content.
5. Flexible Methods: Establish more than one way of achieving the outcome. All methods for achieving your outcome must remain under your control.
6. Ecological: Consider the cost and consequences of your outcome upon yourself and others involved. The outcome must be worthwhile across all aspects of time, energy and cost.
Well-Formed Outcome Questions – The Superpower of The Coach
Now we understand the six conditions, our next stage is supporting the validity of these conditions by asking a few qualifying questions. Each question can be divided into separate areas of outcome definition, context, purpose, processes, and evaluation. As you will see, this process supercharges the coaching process.
Here are a few example questions across the various sections:
- What outcome do you want to achieve?
- When do you want to achieve the goal?
- Where will the outcome be realised?
- What do you want to achieve this outcome for?
- Do you know how to reach your desired outcome?
- Are you capable of achieving this outcome?
- Have you tried to reach this outcome before?
- Do you have an action plan?
- How will you monitor your progress?
By defining and redefining your desired outcome through an interrogation process, your goal becomes more tangible. In essence, various qualifying questions help your outcome become well-formed.
As you answer these questions, a strategy to achieve the outcome naturally takes form.
Establishing a Well-Formed Outcome Model for Success
Since 1979, definitions for well-formed outcomes have shifted as NLP has continually progressed and developed as a psychological discipline. However, the process behind creating and achieving your well-formed outcome should follow the same relative stages.
Based on your six well-formedness conditions, you can ask yourself key questions that will keep you on track to reinforce your motivation for change and reach your desired outcome.
Whether practising for yourself or a client, the key is to remember that all well-formed outcomes must be self-initiated and maintained.
In other words, the well-formed outcome must be what you want, not what others may want from you. A desire to change founded on pleasing others is notoriously difficult to maintain and unhealthy validation for your well-being and overall confidence.
Begin Your NLP Journey With Professional Training and Qualifications
Beginning your journey in NLP will teach you how to establish well-formed outcomes for yourself and your clients.
UKCPD continues to develop and deliver award-winning NLP training courses across multiple levels and disciplines. With over 20 years of experience, we’re proud to be an industry leader for NLP in the UK and continue to enhance our education with a fresh perspective and market expertise.
Offering training with an acute focus on personal and professional development, we emphasise the practical application of NLP for coaching and management.
Our next award-winning NLP Practitioner & Coach Certification programme details can be found on our website. This course will give you 3 internationally recognised qualifications:
- NLP Practitioner – ANLP
- Certificate in Business & Life Coaching – AC
- First Aid Mental Health For Coaches & NLP Practitioners (Level 2 Award in First Aid For Mental Health) – FAA
You might also be interested in this short online course: How to Successfully Set & Achieve Goals.
Get in touch for more details about how NLP can enhance your career, enrich your clients and even kickstart your business.
