Attaining personal goals: self-concordance plus implementation intentions equals success.
The present article includes separate meta-analyses showing that self-concordance and implementation intentions are significantly positively associated with goal progress. Study 1 confirmed the positive relations of both self-concordance and implementation intentions to weekend goal progress. Study 2 confirmed the positive relation of self-concordance with monthly progress on New Year's resolutions but failed to find a direct benefit for implementation intentions. Both studies, however, obtained a significant interaction effect indicating that goal self-concordance and implementation intentions combined synergistically to facilitate goal progress. The article also reports a meta-analysis and results from the 2 studies that demonstrated that goal progress was associated with improved affect over time.
Koestner
Richard
R
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. koestner@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca
Lekes
Natasha
N
Powers
Theodore A
TA
Chicoine
Emanuel
E
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept