Setting and achieving goals as a factor of psychological well-being

Abstract

The process of setting and achieving goals, as well as their content, in structure factors of psychological well-being is considered. In the paper a number of the Western empirical researches aimed at understanding this relationship, especially in the framework of self-determination theory (SDT) are reviewed. The concepts of internal and external goals are introduced. The role of universal basic needs in the process of goal-setting is highlighted. Goal contents theory is presented. The concept of goal self-concordance (K.Sheldon) is introduced as a predictive factor of both goal achieving and subjective well-being.