Even equipped with the theory, I was struggling with OKRs at first. Reading about them is one thing, but actually planning is another. Falling into many pitfalls (which I explore in the article “5 Pitfalls of OKRs in Partnerships, and How to Overcome Them”), I have noticed that there is something else - a subtle feeling of anxiety and discomfort. I realised that psychological factors also played a role.
In this article, I will focus on the psychological obstacles and how to deal with them to make planning less stressful.
Why OKRs Can Be Challenging: The Psychological Aspect
As a former therapist, I tend to look at things from a psychological perspective, uncovering hidden reasons behind certain behaviors. Human nature influences any activity, and OKRs - or planning in general - are no exception.
It hit me - that was about one of our most fundamental psychological needs: the need for control. Our brain fears uncertainty and tries to avoid it at all costs. When we start planning, we are confronted with uncertainty in its fullest.
How can I plan anything in this VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world? While this can feel overwhelming, OKRs can actually help us embrace uncertainty - if we use them the right way.
What Does the Need for Control Have to Do with Planning?
As humans, we are wired to seek control because it increases our chances of survival. Control played a pivotal role in evolution - the more we controlled our environment, the better tools we had to protect ourselves from predators. This is why our brain deeply fears uncertainty - the opposite of control.
When it comes to planning, looking too far into the future can feel daunting. The further ahead we look, the less certain we are about what will happen.
With OKRs, our need for control often makes us focus on inputs, since they are the easiest to manage. If we place inputs, outputs, and outcomes on a control scale, it would look like this:
Inputs (Most control) — Actions we take, like launching a marketing campaign.
Outputs (Less control) — Expected results of our actions, like increased engagement.
Outcomes (Least control) — The final impact, like higher revenue.
For example, we can be fairly certain we will launch a partner portal (input). But we are less certain how much engagement it will generate (output) and even less sure how much revenue it will create (outcome). Thinking about these uncertainties can cause stress.
This discomfort is not a sign that something is wrong with our planning - it is simply the fear of losing control.
3 Steps of Dealing with the Need for Control in Planning
Here are three steps to help you tackle these psychological barriers and improve your planning:
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
Recognize any anxiety, overwhelm, or frustration you feel when facing uncertainty. These emotions are normal. Fear of uncertainty is part of human nature as our brains seek control for survival. Recognizing this helps you accept discomfort and continue planning without being held back.
2. Use OKRs as a solution
Ironically, the very thing that makes OKRs feel intimidating—the uncertainty—is exactly what OKRs help you tackle. Their structure provides clarity, making big goals feel less overwhelming and more achievable.
By defining inputs (the steps you need to take) and outputs (the activities you expect to happen), you can break down the complex process into manageable parts. Outcomes represent the results we ultimately seek, but they are less within our immediate control.
OKRs reduce anxiety by turning uncertainty into smaller, actionable steps.
For example, instead of feeling overwhelmed by an unclear outcome (e.g., increasing revenue), we can set more specific inputs (e.g., launching a marketing campaign, training partners) that we can directly control.
💡Questions to ask yourself: How much control do I have over this? What can I do to make it more manageable?
By asking these questions, you shift your mindset from feeling overwhelmed by the larger, uncontrollable aspects of planning to focusing on the manageable, actionable parts.
This approach will help:
Improve the quality of planning
Set more aspirational goals
Reduce the fear of setting ambitious targets
Decrease anxiety and pressure
3. Use an Experiment Hypothesis
Scientists operate with hypotheses, and we can apply the same approach to OKRs. Instead of fearing uncertainty, treat planning as an experiment and exploration.
💡Use the following formula:
I believe that [action]
Will result in [expected effect]
Which will contribute to [goal]
I will measure progress by [metric]
I will know this is a success when [result] </aside>
For example, if you're working on strengthening alliances, you could say: I believe that holding monthly strategic meetings with key partners will result in stronger collaboration and more proactive feedback, which will contribute to achieving a 10% increase in partner-driven sales. I will measure progress by tracking the number of meetings held and the feedback received, and I will know this is a success when we see the 10% sales increase in the next quarter.
This formula shifts your focus from uncertainty to curiosity and exploration mode - making planning a learning process rather than a source of anxiety.
Conclusion
Planning with OKRs can be overwhelming, but doesn’t have to be. By understanding the psychological factors at play - especially our deep-seated need for control - and using OKRs to break down goals into manageable parts, we can approach planning with confidence and clarity.
Embrace the uncertainty, focus on what you can control, and treat your planning process as an experiment. With this mindset, you can overcome the psychological barriers to create more effective, aspirational goals.
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