Motivation and

Goal Setting in
Relation to
Happiness
Michael Lancaster
Psychology 1010
Summer 2017
Literature Review
Text book and peer reviewed articles
 Experience Psychology
Third Edition textbook
o intentional activities like being physically active,
expressing kindness, showing gratitude, being
optimistic, dwelling less on negative experiences, and
engaging in positive self-reflection all enhance positive
affect (King, 2015).
o Discusses the fact that the above actions, along with the
pursuit of goals leads to increased happiness.
Attributed to working towards ones personal well-
being
Goal Motives, Well-Being, and Physical Health: Happiness and Self

Realization as Psychological Resources Under Challenge peer

reviewed article

o The studies conducted/repeated with one additional variable added

with each additional study.
o This article conveys that self or autonomous goals have the best effect
on happiness and self-realization.
Study one linked self or autonomous goals with happiness and self-
realization with a positive association along with the result that
controlled goals had a negative association with self-realization as
well as physical symptoms but did not affect happiness
Study two added an additional result that academic stress helped
to regulate the effects on self-realization and physical symptoms
Study three replicated the first two studies and added that a coping
mechanism for academic stress further regulated the effects on
self-realization
 Continued
I would attribute the fact that autonomous goals
have the best effect on happiness and self-
realization to the fact that we get to pick those
goals based on what we are passionate about. I
also think that the reason that academic goals
and stress did not affect overall happiness is
because most people in school are using it to get
to an end goal of something they want to do. This
helps them to cope even if they arent achieving
self-realization at that time or have negative
physical symptoms from the stress.
 Persistent pursuit of need-satisfying goals leads to

increased happiness: A 6-month experimental longitudinal

study peer reviewed article

Participants of the study were assigned to either
set goals to improve their life circumstances or
increase their feelings of autonomy, competence,
or relatedness in life. (Sheldon et al., 2010)
These assignments were made randomly
The purpose of the study was to see if happiness
gains can be sustained and how that can be
made possible.
 Continued
The study showed that when someone
experiences a happiness gain they can maintain
that happiness but only with continued focus on
goals.
Goals can make us happier but to continue to be
happy and have growth in our happiness we need
to continue to make goals and progress was
individuals.
 Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An

experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being peer

reviewed article
This study looked at the effects of practicing
positive activities, expressing optimism and
gratitude, on well-being.
Also looked at whether or not knowledge of the
purpose of the study, to increase happiness,
effects the effort put forth by the participants in
the activity.
 Continued
Results of the study found the knowledge of the
study purpose increased investment in the
activity which increased rates of increased
happiness.
Happiness was also increased in individual who
did not know the purpose of the study but
participated in the activities regardless.
Positivity has an effect on happiness. By doing
something that forces us to be positive we
become happier. If we can make a habit of being
positive we can continually progress towards
happiness.
 Personal Application
My Experiences
Two years ago I was overweight
and unhealthy, and by extension I
was perpetually either anxious or
moody.
I made the decision that I wanted
to lose weight because I wanted
to look better and be healthier.
My anxiety has been completely
resolved and I find myself in a
better mood for the majority of
the time.
In doing these things I was
unknowingly making myself a
happier overall person. Now that I
know the impact that goal setting
can have on happiness
Relation to Research
Findings
In setting a goal to be
healthier and lose weight I
because focused and
motivated on something
positive (Sheldon et al.,
2010).
I engaged in copious
amounts of physical activity,
expressed gratitude to my
wife for her support and
engaged in positive self-
reflection (Miquelon &
Vallerand, 2006).
 Conclusion
Based on the findings of the studies and the
information given in the textbook and peer
reviewed articles we have a road map on how to
be happy.
These principles can be applied to our own lives
as well as to the lives of those around us, so long
as they are willing, to increase overall happiness
through life.
 Sources
King, L. A. (2015). Experience Psychology (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill
Education.
Lyubomirsky, S., Dickerhoof, R., Boehm, J. K., & Sheldon, K. M.
(2011). Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way:
An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-
being.Emotion,11(2), 391-402. doi:10.1037/a0022575
Miquelon, P.,& Vallerand, R. (2006). Goal Motives, Well-Being,
and Physical Health: Happiness and Self-Realization as
Psychological Resources Under Challenge.Motivation&
Emotion,30(4), 259-272.
Sheldon, K. M., Abad, N., Ferguson, Y., Gunz, A., Houser-Marko,
L., Nichols, C. P., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2010). Persistent pursuit of
need-satisfying goals leads to increased happiness: A 6-month
experimental longitudinal study.Motivation& Emotion,34(1),
39-48.