Desired Outcomes- Feeling Stuck?

Within the Oregon ISP process, Desired Outcomes are the things the person is interested in doing, learning, trying or accomplishing in the next year or beyond. A Desired Outcome is what a person wants their life to look like. It is the transformation that others can see once a person has taken specific steps or achieved goals.

Sometimes, writing Desired Outcomes is fun. The person and those around them may have a lot of ideas. The person may have a clear vision for what they want. There may also be a lot of excitement and creativity when coming up with Desired Outcomes.

Sometimes, we may feel stuck. Perhaps the person has had the same Desired Outcome year after year. Maybe it’s unclear what the person might want to do, try, or learn. The person may not be interested in anything suggested and struggle to come up with ideas themselves. We may not know where to start.

If you’re feeling stuck when developing Desired Outcomes, we have a few tips for you.

It starts with the person

The plan belongs to the person and so do their Desired Outcomes. Even when we do a lot of work to put the plan together, it’s still their plan- not ours. That’s why Desired Outcomes begin with the person:

What is the person telling us, with words or otherwise, about what they want to do? About what they want more or less of in their life? About their long-term hopes, dreams, and aspirations?
Are we listening to all the ways a person may be communicating their perspective? If we’re not sure of how someone communicates this perspective- who in their life can support us to better understand?
Is there a clear connection between the Desired Outcome and what is ‘important TO’ the person? Do the Desired Outcomes reflect the person’s vision of their own ‘good life’?

Each of us are the #1 expert in our own life. This means that we are the best source of information about ourselves. Desired Outcomes are all about the person- who they are, what is important to them, and what direction they want their life to go in

Who else does the person want to plan with?

Often, those closest to the person play an important role in planning- in helping the person communicate their perspective, in encouragement to dream big and imagining new possibilities, and sometimes offering support to make ideas happen. This can include family members, friends and other supporters.

Of course, it is a person’s choice who they want to plan with them and about what parts of their life. Being invited to plan with someone is an honor and important role.

Consider:

Have you ever been encouraged by a friend or family member to try something new? Did this lead to a new interest, passion, or skill?
Would all your friends or family agree with the things you want to do, try, and learn in the next year? Does this impact who you might want to invite to plan with you?
If fears or doubts are holding teams back- are we supporting the team to feel heard so we can move forward together? Are we able to identify and articulate the ‘why’ or ‘important to’ behind what a person is sharing with us?

'Important TO' is key

We each have things that are important to us. They come from our own perspective- those things that give us happiness, comfort, and fulfillment. If we are truly recording the person’s perspective in the Person-Centered Information Form, this can be a useful place to look for conversation-starting ideas.

Understanding a person’s ‘important to’s’ is not a one-time conversation. As supporters, we are constantly seeking to better understand who someone is and what’s important to them.

Each conversation, each interaction is an opportunity to better understand someone else.

Have you ever had the experience of purchasing a new vehicle and then suddenly noticing just how many of these cars are on the road? As humans, we tend to notice what we are focused on or paying attention to. When we keep Desired Outcomes on the forefront of our minds, we will naturally have more ideas and notice more opportunities.

Desired Outcomes don’t have to be only an annual conversation. Instead, as we learn new things and better understand the person and what is important to them throughout the year, we can dig deeper and have more meaningful conversations.

If you’re looking for more resources on Desired Outcomes, check out: