7 Well Formedness Conditions

1. State your problem or goal in the positive
State it as something you want, not as something you don't want.
Example:
'Lose Weight' is not stated in the positive.

'Attain the weight of 120-127 pounds' is stated in the positive.

Example:
Stop x'ing (whatever x is) is not something you want. It's something you DON'T want. Re-stating that sentence in the positive would be something like 'I WANT y'.

2. Initiated by you
Your outcome must be something YOU can do.

Example:
"Make my boss be nicer" is not something within the control of the person making the statement.
"Communicate more effectively with my boss" is something you can do.

3. A way to measure your progress
How will you know when you're making progress?
How will you know when you're off course and it's time to course correct?

4. Put the benefits you get from the problem into your new description of your outcome
What do you get from the problem that's actually good and worth keeping? What is it about the problem you don't want to give up?

Example:
'Smoking helps me relax'. The relaxation is a good thing.

Add that benefit to your description of your new outcome and the outcome becomes:

"Be a relaxed, non smoker."

To achieve "relaxed non-smoker" one would have to become a non smoker AND find a new, healthier way to relax.

5. Sensory based
What will you see, hear smell and taste when you've achieved your goal? Write these things down as descriptions as best you can.

6. Teleological - Write an ultimate outcome vision
Imagine what it will be like when you have what you want.
Create an ultimate outcome vision of it.
Describe what it will be like when you get what you want.

7. Small chunk it into some doable action steps
What will your first step be?
Your next?
What's your next major milestone?