introduction
A study at Harvard began in the year 1938 and has continued as the longest running research on happiness ever conducted (for 85 years). The researchers collected a wealth of information throughout those 85 years, including demographics, physical health, mental well-being, interpersonal relationships, career information, etc. Toward the end of their research, the researchers determined that the best predictor of an individual’s overall health and happiness was whether the individual was able to define for themselves what mattered to them and to pursue that with purpose. The major question is therefore: if having “purpose” is so important to us, how do we determine what “goals” are going to help us achieve that purpose?
Life goals have been discussed through many different lenses (all of the following perspectives): philosophy, psychological science, religious studies, and self-development. In this time where everything seems to be changing all of the time and career(s) are becoming more unstable due to economic trends and the influences of the social media landscape, understanding what truly matters to us has never been more important in making decisions about how we allocate our time and how we define our lives’ successes.
Thus, in this article we outline three fundamental pillars to consider when defining meaningful life goals: 1) Personal Fulfillment; 2) Contribution to Society; and 3) Development of Long-Term Skills. Each of these will be discussed further in terms of their importance (through the use of research evidence) and with real world relevance. Also, this article will be written from a neutral perspective with a goal of providing multiple, evidence based points of view about each of the three pillars, but at the end there will be a comparison of these three to other, generally less fulfilling goals (i.e., materialism and/or pursuing short-term success).
Body
- Personal Fulfilling Purposeful Life
Personal fulfilling life is establishing a life purpose that reflects one’s values, passions, strengths, etc., instead of what society thinks or expects. Why is the personal fulfilling life important?
Psychological research in positive psychology (including Self-Determination Theory) has shown that individuals who have personal fulfilling lives will have higher levels of motivation to pursue their goals and greater overall satisfaction from their lives if they have:
- Autonomy (i.e., the sense and feeling of being in control of your life)
- Competence (i.e., developing skill and mastery).
- Relatedness (i.e. feeling connected to others)
For instance, the majority of individuals who choose to follow a career path that matches their interests (e.g., teaching, designing, or being involved in healthcare) are more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction even though they may be receiving a moderate level of income.
Examples of how this plays out in “Real Life” include:
Engineers leaving high-paying jobs to pursue new sustainable energy projects.
Artists that balance between making a living commercially and the enjoyment of creating personally.
Professionals who have made the choice of their job priorities based on mental health and balance their work & life rather than the continuous chase to be promoted.
Fulfillment-based goals differ from commonly held wealth and fame-based goals. With fulfillment-based goals, the following qualities apply:
Fulfillment-based goals are driven internally and are not dependent on other people’s opinions of ourselves.
Fulfillment-based goals will provide long-term satisfaction; whereas, wealth and fame provide temporary satisfaction.
Fulfillment-based goals can help to minimize burnout and help to create job satisfaction for the long term.
While having material wealth is one way to support fulfillment, it is not the only or most important way to achieve fulfillment.
- Contribution to Society: Finding Value beyond the Self
In addition to fulfilling one’s own needs, research has consistently demonstrated that a goal of helping others through all means possible will also bring a similar level of fulfillment. Contribution involves using one’s skills or talent(s) to bring about a positive change for other people: family, community, job, and/or society as a whole.
Research Evidence
Research in the social and behavioral sciences has demonstrated that individuals who set altruistic and prosocial goals are:
- More satisfied with their lives;
- More mentally healthy; and
- Better able to cope with the difficulties of life.
Volunteering, mentoring, and other activities in the community have been shown to lower the incidence of depression and increase the perception of meaning in life, particularly as one ages.
Ways to Contribute to Society
A contribution to society does not have to take the form of grand acts of beneficence. Contributions can take many different forms:
Professional Contributions: By creating products in an ethical way, delivering quality services and providing responsible leadership.
Participation in the Community: Volunteering, becoming a leader in your local community, and engaging in social advocacy.
Interpersonal Contributions: Being a supportive parent, teammate, partner, and friend.
The Differences between Contribution Models of Success and Traditional Individualistic Models of Success
- Traditionally, success models are based on competition, achieving your own level of success, and self-interest; whereas models based on contribution focus on:
- The benefits to the greater good, not just to an individual.
- The establishment of stronger social connections and trust.
- Finding purpose in life regardless of fluctuations in an individual’s level of success.
- Unlike short-term awards and recognition, a contribution provides an individual with a stable sense of purpose throughout their entire life.
3 – Long-Term Growth”
The third pillar in life goals is long-term growth. Long-term growth means that you should be continually learning, making adjustments, and improving yourself. It is important for you to have a long-term growth mindset because life will always change, and as a result, your meaningful life goals will need to change as well.
Growth-oriented goal setting is a type of goal-setting that encourages individuals to see challenges as opportunities for personal growth rather than as threats to their success. Psychologist Carol Dweck has conducted research on the concept of growth vs. fixed mindset, indicating that individuals who operate within the growth mindset and believe they have the potential to learn and develop will:
- Persevere through failures,
- Learn more efficiently, and
- Achieve long-term success at greater rates.
- Lifelong learning via formal educational programs or self-teaching;
- Increasing one’s emotional intelligence/emotional; and
- Creating career-related goals based on new interests or current social trends.
The difference between a fixed goal and a growth goal is primarily the differing focus of each. Fixed goals such as obtaining a specific degree, reaching a particular income, or achieving prestige often lose their meaning once you’ve reached your objective. Conversely, growth goals focus on both the process and the outcome and allow you to create and maintain a sense of purpose throughout your life.
Learning and reinventing oneself has become even more critical in our current rapidly evolving global economy.
Final Thoughts
Life goals are not about one defined endpoint, rather, life goals should encompass the overall purpose for one’s life and be guided by three core pillars. First, by achieving personal fulfillment with life goals that reflect our values and inner motivation. Secondly, by achieving social contributions, which expands life’s purpose beyond the individual to serve and connect with others. Finally, long-term growth provides for continual development that supports adaptability, resilience, and relevance over time through the various stages of humanity.
Through a combination of the above, individuals may develop a more complete perspective of how to define success in a more complex world based on one’s motivation, meaningful connection to one’s purpose, and the ability to adapt to the changing needs of society, individuals will be better prepared for success.
People should take
a moment to examine their current goals, and ask themselves if they are actually achieving fulfillment, providing benefit to others and supporting continual personal growth. Redefining your life goals is an ongoing process that will affect not only your own life, but the lives of those around you and all the systems and communities in which they operate.