Make self-control effortless by choosing goals that light you up

Science says it’s easier to reach goals that feel fun, important, or meaningful. Here’s why.

The internet is filled with tips on how to achieve your goals: start small, set implementation intentions, remove temptations from your environment, build habits, . . . And although such behavioral strategies can be very useful, focusing only on them may miss a crucial aspect of successful goal pursuit: why you’re pursuing the goal in the first place.

Research shows that people are more likely to make progress on and accomplish goals that they enjoy, that are aligned with their values and self-concept, or that they’ve identified as personally important.¹ Pursuing goals due to external or internal pressure — to get praise or approval, gain rewards, or avoid punishment — doesn’t, however, reliably predict goal progress.²

I witness this in my own life all the time.

I had little trouble working on this story every morning before work for several weeks. In the meanwhile, I kept moving a manual, and rather boring, work task from one day’s to-do list to the next — for two weeks. And this is coming from a person who prides herself in having high self-control.

So what’s driving the progress on goals that we perceive as enjoyable, meaningful, or important? (I’ll refer to these goals as “want-to goals” from now on.*)