Self-concordance, goal attainment, and the pursuit of happiness: Can therebe an upward spiral?

Two studies used the self-concordance model of healthy goal striving (K. M. Sheldon & A. J. Elliot, 1999) to examine the motivational processes by whi ch people can increase their level of well-being during a period of time an d then maintain the gain or perhaps increase it even further during the nex t period of time. In Study 1, entering freshmen with self-concordant motiva tion better attained their 1st-semester goals, which in turn predicted incr eased adjustment and greater self-concordance for the next semester's goals . Increased self-concordance in turn predicted even better goal attainment during the 2nd semester, which led to further increases in adjustment and t o higher levels of ego development by the end of the year. Study 2 replicat ed the basic model in a 2-week study of short-term goals set in the laborat ory. Limits of the model and implications for the question of how (and whet her) happiness may be increased are discussed.