“One day Alice came to a fork in the road

and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.

‘Which road do I take?’ she asked.

‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response.

‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered.

‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.”

~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

1. Be stated in
   the positive.

(that is, what you want,
rather than what you
don’t want)

2. Represented
    in the
    senses.

 (tangible rather than conceptual:
able to be evidenced through the senses when attained - thus, seen, heard or felt)

3. Be possible
    and
    achievable.

(goals have outcomes and outcomes are
​intended or unintended)

4. Have all the
    resources
    required or
    accessible.

(physical, mental,
emotional, time, money, insights, support)

5. Have a
    defined
    time frame.

(you need a context in
which you want the
well formed outcome
to be achieved)

6. Be
    ecological.

(consider the cost and consequences for oneself and others affected)

The Process of Well-formed Outcomes in NLP

1. Be stated in the positive.
2. Represented in the senses.
3. Be possible and achievable.
4. Have all the resources required and accessible.

5. Have a defined time frame.

6. Be ecological.