People like a challenge especially when it seems

People like a challenge, especially when it seems difficult but possible.
How is Goal-Setting Related to Behavioral Change?
So far, we have seen what goals do, but we have omitted to mention what happens
to people when they do not set goals in their lives.
Indecision, lack of focus, boredom, and not having something specific to strive for,
can lead to a feeling that one is living a dulled, less meaningful version of their life.
Symptoms of depression, among other mental health struggles, often appear in
these perceived unchanging spaces.
This is because specifically-written goals can provide individuals with a sense of
existential structure, purpose, and meaning.
As Locke argues, goals are “immediate regulators of behavior” (Latham, Ganegoda, &
Locke, 2011), and they provide the self with a vision for the future and a clear
direction to strive towards a specific objective.
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Juliette Tocino-Smith has an MSc. in
Medical Anthropology from University
College London.

direction to strive towards a specific objective.
More so, goal-directed action coupled with reasoning skills is a fundamental
element of what makes us human. Even the “non-human” world thrives with goal-
setting parallels.
This is not to say that plants write down their goals in pencil. But let’s have Locke
explain how:
“The lowest level of goal-directed action is physiologically controlled (plants). The
next level, present in the lower animals, entails conscious self-regulation through
sensory-perceptual mechanisms including pleasure and pain. Human beings possess
a higher form of consciousness – the capacity to reason. They have the power to
conceptualize goals and set long-range purposes” (Locke, 1969).
The human ability to reflect is a curse and a blessing.
It liberates us from the constraint of the absolute determinism of things but it also
means that we are responsible for the choices we make and whether they will
contribute to our welfare.
For instance, individuals who start exercising and feeling the numerous health
benefits often end up seeing value in making additional lifestyle changes, such as a
healthier routine and diet.
Thus, if a goal is perceived by the individual as something that can contribute to
their sense of well-being or that of the group they are a part of, then it can also
serve as a source of inspiration and esteem.
This often leads to a ricochet effect on other behaviors linked to performance and
efficacy.
Can Goal-Setting Help Decision-Making?
Goal-setting and decision making are the two voluntary acts that can radically
transform a person’s life.
You perhaps have heard the adage, “you cannot save someone who doesn’t want to
be saved.”
When it comes to helping others, it is not possible to do so unless they want the
help, and also feel enough motivation to take the appropriate steps forward—
regardless of how tiring this may prove.