Goal Setting and Happiness. Connection?
In the meandering through life, it is a wonder what we may achieve. Then, if we do achieve something, is it by accident or design? Do we achieve by intention?
When we achieve, we tend to feel more accomplished and with that, better about ourselves.
Indeed, it is a sense of mastery and competence that enhances our sense of self. So, what if we could develop that sense of mastery and competence with intention? For that, goal setting is important.
Goal setting is about recognizing what or where one seeks to be or to have or to do over some period of time. It’s about not only recognizing that, but also making a plan, a deliberate set of steps to achieve what one seeks.
The degree to which the goal is realistic, and the steps are clearly articulated and even measurable, our progress can be plotted, and goal hopefully achieved. With that, our sense of competency is enhanced in addition to feeling good about the goal met. By definition, for many, that is one dimension of happiness. Goal setting connects to happiness.
Goal setting and determining those steps along the way may take careful consideration.
The issues are being realistic and having measurable steps. One needs to be able to answer the question, “How do we know we are making progress?”
Those are important considerations because no matter how well planned the steps, life has a way of altering our trajectory and not all steps are met as planned. With that, one must be able to determine deviations, steps that are poorly calculated and course corrections to resume the path towards the goal.
Happiness, it must be understood is not a destination in and of itself. Happiness is an outcome feeling. It is an outcome of pleasing experiences and goals met.
Living life with intention, goal setting, may facilitate that outcome.
If one is experiencing goal setting as a challenge, seeing a psychotherapist may be helpful. A discussion of what may be realistic and achievable can help determine an appropriate goal as well as the steps involved.
