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People stuck on a downward spiral of unhappiness may be able to alter their
course by simply doing "what you believe in, what interests you,
or both.
Setting goals that fit with your personality -- self-concordant goals --
and resisting the temptation to do something you feel you ought to, is key
in the pursuit of happiness.
The idea that people can make themselves permanently happier is controversial,
but this new data suggests that this is so. People can make themselves
happier, by doing very well at self-concordant goals.
Investigators found that students who set self-concordant goals were more
likely to achieve their goals and in doing so, heighten their sense
of well-being (i.e., happiness).
Goals listed by the undergraduate students included getting good grades,
getting involved in campus organizations, and not gaining weight.
So, one can't 'spiral upwards' indefinitely, but one can get oneself to
a higher level of happiness, and then keep oneself there, if one selects
appropriate goals and then continues to do well at them.
Yet, the researcher acknowledged the challenges involved in setting self-concordant
goals. We assume that it is a difficult skill to perceive yourself well
enough to know what is best for you to do -- there are a lot of things that
get in the way of that.
The researchers offered the following advice: Stand back and take stock
and figure out what's really most important to you
and start going after that. Stop wasting time doing what you think you're
supposed to -- that can start this whole positive process.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
2001;80:152-165
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