What Do You Do?

Research further showed that people who emphasised [sic] extrinsic aspirations tended to be more controlled in their pursuit of the goals, whereas people who emphasised [sic] intrinsic aspirations tended to be more autonomous. However, Sheldon, Ryan, Deci, and Kasser (2004) found that the content of people’s goals predicted their mental health even after controlling for the reasons or motives for which they were pursuing the goals. Thus, the two variables—intrinsic goals and autonomous regulation—contribute independent variance to well-being.

Deci and Ryan (2007)

Facilitating Optimal Motivation and Psychological Well-Being Across Life's Domains

Extrinsic goals provide outcomes related to ability, worthiness and wisdom; for example, wealth, fame and influence. (For more discussion, see Peanut Butter: Able, Worth and Wise.) How would you define your intrinsic goals? For example, you might desire to look fit and trim to improve the first impression you make on others. Why would you choose to be fit and trim if no one else was looking?

Autonomous regulation concerns the motive for a particular behavior. Do you exercise to look fit and trim, or do you exercise because you enjoy exercise? One is a means to an end, the other is an end of itself. Popular wisdom says it takes three weeks to create a habit, but can we create a habit of a behavior that is merely a means to an end? Would we really want to?

Well-being is promoted if our goals are intrinsic and if the behaviors we choose to pursue those goals are behaviors we would choose anyway. Said better, what do you do for the sake of doing? What goals would this behavior support?

What do you do? Where can that take you? Research shows this approach supports well-being.

And what if what you do takes you to what you do?