Avoidance
Pre-Mortem for a Planned Approach Behavior
This writing task has the client anticipate potential obstacles in an exposure exercise and plan.
When your client agrees to a planned approach behavior, their anticipatory anxiety can derail the effort before it begins. The ‘what ifs’ often loom larger than the plan itself, leading to last-minute hesitation or a decision to abandon the task at the first sign of difficulty, especially if they have a history of avoidance.
This writing task shifts the client’s focus from worrying to strategic planning. It allows them to confront potential roadblocks ahead of time and map out specific solutions. As a result, the client arrives with a tangible sense of preparedness and a more durable commitment to carrying out the task.
Pre-Mortem for a Planned Approach Behavior
Identify the specific planned action you are about to take. Write it on the line below.
Now, project yourself forward in time to after this action was supposed to happen. Imagine it failed. You were not able to complete it as intended.
On a separate sheet of paper, list every possible reason, internal or external, that could have caused this failure. Consider your own thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, as well as the actions of others or unexpected events in the environment. Be detailed and specific.
After you have your list, transfer each potential reason for failure into the first column of the table below. For each reason, identify the earliest sign that it might be starting to happen. Then, decide on a specific, concrete action you will take in response to that sign.
| Potential Obstacle or Point of Failure | First Sign It Is Occurring | My Planned Action |
|---|---|---|
Generated with Rapport7 — rapport7.com