2. Are Your Goals Enhancing Your Wellbeing? : stressLess-life

Are Your Goals Enhancing Your Wellbeing?

https://ift.tt/yIZl82S

Goals may enhance any of the six aspects of wellbeing. Moving towards valued goals or attaining them may increase positive emotions, engagement in skilled activities, development of relationships, meaning and purpose in life, accomplishment and physical health.

That is, striving for goals (the journey) and goal attainment (arriving at the destination) can both enhance wellbeing. Goals can vary on many dimensions, including size (small or large goals) and time-frame (Short, medium, long term) and importance (highly valued, lesser valued). Here, we are considering large, long term, highly-valued goals.

Research on goals shows that they have a number of positive functions.

· They channel effort towards goals and so give life direction.

· They motivate us to keep going and not give up or be distracted.

· They help organise information, skills, and strategies in terms of means and ends.

· Where goals are related to fulfilling basic needs (e.g. acquiring food shelter, or resources) they facilitate survival.

· Where goals are long-term and highly valued (e.g. helping others) they can give life meaning. Without a vision for the future and highly valued goals to work towards, there is a risk of becoming aimless, unmotivated, and disorganised and wasting time doing things that are not valued.

· Highly valued goals create motivations to plan, discover new information, master skills, use strategies, stay focused, resist temptation and distraction, monitor progress, get feedback, take corrective action, manage time and resources effectively, meet deadlines and interact with other people in ways that facilitate goal attainment.

The downside to setting and pursuing highly valued goals is that these processes may sometimes lead to negative effect. There are two main reasons for this. First, goal setting highlights the discrepancy between the current and desired future state. If goal attainment is viewed as a prerequisite for happiness, ruminating about failing to attain goals or actual failure may lead to unhappiness. Secondly, the positive effects of reaching goals are usually transitory – habituation and the hedonic treadmill come in to play. We adapt to positive events such that they quickly become the new normal. However, the positive effects of achieving goals may be prolonged by savouring success. A second strategy is to focus attention on the process. Goal pursuit rather than goal attainment: enjoying the journey, not just the destination, is associated with greater wellbeing. This is particularly true when pursuing long-term, highly-valued goals.

Goals that involve doing activities rather than acquiring possessions, or that involve creating new experiences rather than changing circumstances, are more likely to lead to sustained increases in happiness and wellbeing. We adapt to changes in circumstances more than to changes in intentional activities. Because of this, goals that involve intentional activities have longer-lasting positive effects. Beyond the point at which our basic needs are met, vast increases in material possessions do not lead to commensurate increases in happiness and wellbeing. Because of this, goals that involve doing activities and engaging in new experiences lead to greater wellbeing then acquiring possessions.

Goals that involve approaching a valued outcome (for example, doing kind things for others) usually lead to greater wellbeing and goal attainment than those that involve avoiding an undesirable situation (for example avoiding conflict with others), and there are various reasons for this. It is easier to pursue and monitor progress towards approach compared with avoidance goals. Approach goals elicit more positive than negative cognitions because they focus attention on desirable outcomes. However, for adaptive functioning, a combination of both approach and avoidance goals is necessary, and individual goal preferences may determine the optimal balance of approach and avoidance goals for the wellbeing of any particular individual.

Goals with the following characteristics are more likely to enhance wellbeing:

· Appropriate to your life circumstances.

· They are intrinsically rewarding.

· Aligned with the basic needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

· They involve doing activities (more than changing circumstances).

· They engage in valued experiences (more than acquiring possessions).

· They approach valued outcomes (rather than avoiding undesirable outcomes).

· Your goals fit together harmoniously (and don’t conflict).

· They are visualisable / tangible and challenging (rather than fuzzy and easy).

· They inspire a high level of commitment (rather than little commitment).

· They can be monitored to give corrective feedback on progress.

submitted by /u/EERMA
[link] [comments]








Related links


I want to know the mind and emotions of a man towa. I want to understand what he is thinking and feeling at any given time. I want to know what makes him happy and what makes him sad. I want to know what he fears and what motivates him. I want to know his hopes and dreams. I want to know everything about him.


Addiction Is Messy, But These Things Help Me Stay Clean


5 Ways to Use Movement (Not Exercise) to Support Your Mental Health


My Second Mother: When Someone Steps Up Like Family Never Did


just sitting silently


How to Release the Fear That Holds You Back and Keeps You Small


What Happiness Means and How I’m Boosting My Day-to-Day Joy


why am i always in one-sided relationships


Psychological behaviour of husband with his wife who failed in love before marriage


What makes you dislike yourself?


When You’re Ready for Change: You Need to Believe in Your Future Self


4 Anxiety-Calming Techniques I Wish I Used When I Freaked Out on a Plane


What type of doctors experience the most stress?


Why is it significant to overcome stress?


How I Stopped Chasing Men Who Hurt Me and Found Healthy Love : #stressless


Stay Comfortable


I have irrational thoughts that she’s better than me


Skills That You Can Learn From (A2) Trying Harder Isn\\\'t Always The Answer:stressLess-life.


How do we know what we want in our lives?


5 Simple Yet Essential Self Care Tips That Can Change Your Life


#2 . How do I stop putting my worth based on how men see me? : stressLess-life


Self love challenge - looking for a group to join!


People-Pleasers Are Liars: 3 Things We Gain When We’re Honest Instead


How to Deal With Low Moods: A 4-Step Plan to Help You Feel Better


One words to define love story Hater





does depression affect sperm quality


What is the difference between stress and emotions? The WHO has defined them as two different life skills and I am not able to make a difference.


What are some signs that show a lack of confidence in a person's speech or behavior?


Is it good to live hubby without love or marry to BF?


growing up as the only black member of a white family movie


separation anxiety mother symptoms


why self-love and self-care is important


I am very sad every day. I have decided not to live. What should I do?


why am i losing interest in things i used to love


never waste your feelings on someone who doesn't value your emotions meaning in hindi


I am very sad every day. I have decided not to live. What should I do?


Why is it significant to overcome stress?

Can-I-reduce-my-stress?

https://stressless-2021.blogspot.com/2022/06/reduce-my-stress.html

Getting Out Of A Slump

Me Exercising/dancing to Unbelievable by EMF. Not too great, but started doing this at 57 yrs......truly my inner child is coming out to play!:stressLess-life

Abandonment Issues



Increasing and practicing self worth and self love:stressLess-life

(A2) LIFE AND LOVE???:stressLess-life

Neon Genesis Evangelion and validating ones own existence:stressLess-life

Calmed myself down with loving energy.:stressLess-life

"Why do you forgive everyone but yourself?”:stressLess-life

How to accept belly fat?:stressLess-life



admiring myself all 2022 ??:stressLess-life



Self love feels so lonely:stressLess-life



Increasing and practicing self worth and self love:stressLess-life

(A2) LIFE AND LOVE???:stressLess-life

Neon Genesis Evangelion and validating ones own existence:stressLess-life

Calmed myself down with loving energy.:stressLess-life

"Why do you forgive everyone but yourself?”:stressLess-life

How to accept belly fat?:stressLess-life



admiring myself all 2022 ??:stressLess-life



Self love feels so lonely:stressLess-life









😄 " Forget the past; look forward to the future, for the best things are yet to come. ..... "