Unlocking Achievable Outcomes

Amanda Whitmore

Alright James, let's get straight into these ten keys to an achievable outcome. They are the blueprint for success, aren’t they?

James Wildman

Exactly, Amanda. The foundational idea is that these keys were developed after studying individuals who consistently achieved their goals. The NLP founders realized that successful behavior, if carefully modeled, could be replicated by others.

Amanda Whitmore

Okay, so, where do we start? I believe the first key is, stating goals in the positive? Why the emphasis on that?

James Wildman

Right. It's about driving motivation. See, when you focus on what you want instead of what you don't want, you're giving your unconscious mind something specific to aim for. It’s, well, it’s like setting a compass in the right direction. Let me give you an example of this - I was once coaching a client on weight loss, I asked her what she wanted, what was her desired outcome? she replied, I don't want to look like this anymore, I stopped her right there, -you see I asked her what she wanted, and she told me what she doesn't want.

Amanda Whitmore

That's interesting, -why do you think she did that?

James Wildman

I later found out in our conversation that she had tried to diet before and failed, by using a negative response, she was subconsciously protecting her-self from failing again, which to me as her coach meant she wasn't fully align with the outcome she thought she wanted, does that make sense?.

Amanda Whitmore

Ah, so instead of saying “I don’t want to look like this,” she could have said, “I want to achieve what ever her weight goal was .” That... makes sense. But why does it matter so much?

James Wildman

It’s powerful, Amanda. When people frame their goals as avoiding negatives, their energy is reactive, not proactive. It creates a kind of mental roadblock. Take the ‘5 Whys’ technique for example—a method to dig deeper into your motivation. Asking 'why' repeatedly exposes whether your goal is truly positive or if it’s simply avoiding something negative.

Amanda Whitmore

That's clever. So it's like, why am I doing this, then why that... and you keep going till you hit the root. It’s almost like peeling an onion!

James Wildman

Exactly. Let me give you an example. A few months back, I was working on my health goals.

Amanda Whitmore

Yes, I remember You mentioning that you wanted to work on your fitness.

James Wildman

Yes, it was... a real challenge for me. But back to my goals—my initial goal was to "stop being out of shape" and "avoid getting sick all the time." And while, on the surface, that seemed reasonable, it didn't really motivate me at all.

Amanda Whitmore

I can imagine. I mean, "avoiding sickness" sounds more like fear than inspiration.

James Wildman

Exactly. So, I reframed my goal to "building strength and energy." That simple shift gave me a completely different mindset. Suddenly, I started coming up with creative workout routines and felt excited about my daily habits. By focusing on what I wanted to gain instead of what I feared losing, the whole experience changed.

Amanda Whitmore

Makes total sense. And this principle about positive framing—does it tie into motivation as a whole? Like, whether people work towards something or, you know, away from something?

James Wildman

Absolutely. And we’ll definitely go deeper into that in just a bit. The distinction between ‘towards’ and ‘away from’ motivation is critical...

Amanda Whitmore

Let's go into that now. So, what’s the real difference between towards and away from motivation? Is it, like, a glass-half-full kind of thing?

James Wildman

It’s actually a bit more nuanced, Amanda. Think of it like this—‘away from’ motivation is when someone makes decisions to avoid pain or discomfort. A classic example would be working hard to escape financial stress. The energy, though, tends to fizzle out once that immediate pressure eases.

Amanda Whitmore

Ah, like when people hit their minimum target and then coast until things get bad again.

James Wildman

Exactly. It’s reactive. Now, towards motivation, on the other hand, is about striving for something positive, like building a thriving lifestyle. That focus on growth creates, a sustainable energy. It’s not about simply avoiding the bad—it’s about moving toward the good.

Amanda Whitmore

So it’s the difference between running because you’re being chased versus running because you want to reach the finish line.

James Wildman

Perfect analogy. In fact, there was this fascinating case study from the course. A client originally focused on paying off debt—

Amanda Whitmore

Which sounds like an ‘away from,’ right?

James Wildman

Right. But when their focus shifted to saving for a dream vacation—something positive and exciting—it completely changed their approach. They developed better habits, like adjusting spending patterns, and, well, that motivation stuck because it was inspiring.

Amanda Whitmore

Interesting. I actually saw something similar hosting a live fundraiser once. At first, our goal was to avoid a budget shortfall. The whole team was, like, stressed and burned out. Then someone suggested we focus on a positive impact—bringing more community support to struggling families.

James Wildman

And that fueled fresh energy, didn’t it?

Amanda Whitmore

absolutely. It was like a switch flipped. People got creative and excited. The whole mood shifted from panic to purpose.

James Wildman

That’s the beauty of towards motivation. It fosters creativity and perseverance. And as we continue with these keys, you’ll see how that kind of focus sets up goals for long-term success...

Amanda Whitmore

Okay, James, so if towards motivation is key to long-term success, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. How do we actually measure progress along the way? What’s this ‘Specify Evidence Procedure’ I’ve heard about?

James Wildman

It’s all about measurable progress, Amanda. The idea is to create a kind of mental roadmap with clear markers that let you know you’re on track. Visualization plays a huge role here—you use all your senses to picture what success looks, sounds, and even feels like. It’s not just about imagining the destination but noticing the milestones along the way.

Amanda Whitmore

So, like, if your goal is to run a marathon, you don’t just picture crossing the finish line—

James Wildman

Exactly. You’d visualize the training, like reaching your first 5K, then 10K, and so on. And more than that, you’d engage your senses—imagine the sound of your footsteps, feel the burn in your legs, maybe even the texture of the race bib on your shirt. These sensory details help your unconscious mind recognize progress and, well, stay motivated.

Amanda Whitmore

That’s brilliant. But what about resources? I mean, sometimes we get stuck because we think we don’t have what we need. How does that fit into the equation?

James Wildman

Great question. Identifying resources is another critical step. You start by asking, “What do I have right now, and what do I need to get?” This includes tangible things like equipment or funding, but also, less obvious ones like confidence, time, or the support of others. And here’s the twist—you act as if you already have those intangible resources.

Amanda Whitmore

“Fake it till you make it,” huh?

James Wildman

Sort of, yeah. But it’s more about stepping into that mindset. For instance, when I was preparing for my first marathon, I listed every resource I could think of—even tiny things like getting a basic medical check up, do I have the right running shoes? can I commit the time to train? It may have seemed minor, but having that list actually gave me unexpected confidence.

Amanda Whitmore

That’s so interesting. Sometimes we underestimate the tools we already have, don’t we?

James Wildman

Absolutely. And having those resources on paper—or even in your head—creates a foundation of self-belief. Suddenly, instead of feeling unprepared, you realize you’ve got more to build on than you thought. It’s about taking ownership of where you are and gearing up for where you want to go.

Amanda Whitmore

Have you heard of this concept of the goal being self-maintained. Which means you must take absolute responsibility and ownership of your goal. and that the goal is owned by you and therefore viable.

James Wildman

Love that, tell me more.

Amanda Whitmore

The outcome of the goal must rely on you and you alone. you see if you're reliant on anyone else for the completion of the goal, you give yourself someone else to blame if it all goes wrong, so under no circumstances must you give up total responsibility for the achievement of what you want.

James Wildman

Wow, that's powerful, total ownership and responsibility for what you desire in life, I love that.

Amanda Whitmore

I've heard you mention something about goals being ecological, what does that mean?

James Wildman

Ah yes, this is a powerful concept, ecology is the study of consequences really. And links also to the cause and effect equation and responsibility. everything we do, affects something else, physically mentally spiritually, energetically. And The study of ecology gets you to consider the consequences of the pursuit of your goal and its ultimate achievement. Now, for me that's not just the consequence of achieving the goal in terms of myself and the goal I've set, but the consequences of the goal and its pursuit on everyone around me.

Amanda Whitmore

I see your point James.

James Wildman

We all have a responsibility to generate a positive energy around us. If you study the law of attraction you'll realize that this is in itself a magnet to more positive things being attracted to you. and you'll find that your goal achievement is quicker and easier if you operate with ecology.

Amanda Whitmore

You're so right there James.

James Wildman

These are the questions I use to check if mine or my clients goals are ecologically sound, -Will I benefit from achieving this goal? -Will others benefit from my achieving this goal? -Will society, the planet the universe benefit from my achieving this goal? -Will the achievement of my goal generate a positive energy generally?- Will I be happy with any changes to my current situation if I achieve my goal?

Amanda Whitmore

As you were listing those James, I was thinking about a goal I'm currently working on, and honestly, I never thought to think about my goals like this.

James Wildman

The point is that what you want consciously is often very different to what you want unconsciously and trust me there is only one winner in that battle and it isn’t the conscious mind. So you need to be able to get the unconscious minds buy in to your goal and to make sure it sits right with you, and that involves it being inherently positive and a goal that contributes to a greater whole. It needs to be a goal that has ecology.

Amanda Whitmore

So, to wrap it all up: clear goals, positive framing, understanding motivation, measuring progress, and identifying resources. It sounds simple on paper, but there’s so much depth here.

James Wildman

There is, Amanda. But at its core, this process is about empowering yourself. By mapping out what’s needed, visualizing success, and actively engaging with the steps along the way, anyone can achieve meaningful goals. It’s not always easy, but it is achievable.

Amanda Whitmore

And that’s such an inspiring takeaway. Well, James, this has been absolutely fascinating. Thanks for sharing your stories and insights—it’s been a blast to unpack this with you.

James Wildman

Likewise, Amanda. And to our listeners—thanks for tuning in. Whether your goal is big or small, remember—it’s the daily steps and your belief in the process that create success.

Amanda Whitmore

On that note, we’ll see you next time. Keep setting those achievable outcomes, and take care.