Why Set Goals At All?

As we approach the end of 2005, I would like my readers to ask themselves where they are with the goals they set for themselves for this year. Did you achieve what you wanted? Did you come close? Did you join a goal-setting group to help you? Did you hire a coach if you didn't make progress in your goals? Did you even set goals for 2005? Why or why not? I'm engaged in a fascinating one-year Masters Program at the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology, and as part of my coursework, I am deeply investigating the research behind goal-setting and why it matters to a person's well-being. To make a long story short, goals are what give our lives meaning, and without them, we are living in a very reactive way. We are not the masters of our own fates, and are certainly not exhibiting one of the four top traits of happy people. One of the hallmarks of a happy person (someone who shows high subjective well-being) is that they have a sense of "personal agency," and that they feel they have control over their lives. One of the ways they exhibit this is by setting goals and creating specific plans to achieve them. Peter Gollwitzer, one of the leading authorities on goal accomplishment, said this in American Psychologist in 1999: 1. Successful goal attainment requires that you find a way to start and persist in your goal until it is accomplished 2. Your goal should be framed as an "approach" goal and not an "avoidance" goal 3. Goals must be specific and challenging (not vague "do your best" goals) 4. Learning goals are often better than performance goals 5. Contradictory goals must be resolved creatively (for example, goals to make more friends and study for two hours every night must be knit together) 6. Implementation intention - or how you'll accomplish your goal in the face of negativity or setbacks - is critical, particularly when the goals are challenging In my mind, there is no better way to go about goal-setting than with a coach. A trained, skillful coach can help a client elucidate his or her values, help create a blueprint of goals that are tailored to the values and desired outcomes, and can walk a client through implementation intentions, which make all of the difference with challenging goals. Don't let this year end without using a coach to help you plan your goals for next year. Studies show that people who set goals are more likely to achieve them than those who disregard the whole process, plus people who set goals are happier than people who don't. Please sign up for my monthly newsletter, GO FOR THE GOAL!