How Ambitious Goals Can Create Happiness
A happy medium between working on goals and getting stressed out about goals is a delicate balance to achieve. However, once you do get in your groove, you’ll find that setting big goals for yourself actually makes you happier. According to Inc.com, a study done at the University of California, Riverside has determined that those who set ambitious goals were happier in the long run than those who set more conservative goals.
This doesn’t mean your smaller goals aren’t important, but it does mean you may be more fulfilled. Here’s why you should always aim higher:
You won’t ignore your potential
If you have a secret dream that you never really acted on, chances are you’ll always feel a bit unfulfilled. Of course, that’s not to say that your current life isn’t wonderful. However, you may find that your motivation wanes at your current job, or you become a bit negative about others pursuing what you’d like to pursue. If anything, if you’ve always wanted to create your own business, for example, you could always try your hand at it at some point. It’s never too late!
According to the study, 134 participants were asked to set a target rate of return that they would be satisfied with and asked to pick from the range of six to 20 percent. Low goal setters were defined as those who set the rate at 14 percent or lower. High goal setters were those who set the rate at more than 14 percent.
In the study, participants were then asked to allocate a $5,400 budget by picking three of 20 fictitious stocks. After 10 minutes, they received the return of their stock portfolio so it matched their goal. Participants were led to believe their stock allocation had been entered into a database to get actual returns. They were then asked how satisfied they were with the returns.
The experiment produced similar results.
In the end, the ability to work towards a goal at your personal best potential, was thought to be more important than the goal itself. The lesson here, is to work at your own best, and not sell yourself short!
15
Dec
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