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Goals and Plans: Their Relationship to Well-Being

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A Positive Psychology Perspective on Quality of Life

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 51))

Abstract

Individual well-being has been linked to having an approach to life that is goal-based. That is, those who have a goal-based orientation and a tendency towards planning report a higher sense of well-being. Furthermore, some more prescriptive approaches to defining well-being actually include goals and sense of purpose as being part of the construct well-being. Evidence is reviewed to assess the strength of the goal–well-being link, including goal content, goal orientation, and organisation. Areas where goals may be detrimental to well-being, including certain types of goals and the balance of investment in goals, are also discussed. Finally, evidence for the link between planning and well-being is outlined and mechanisms for its operation discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK

    Andrew MacLeod

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  1. Andrew MacLeod
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Correspondence to Andrew MacLeod .

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  1. School of Psychology, Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 541 24, Greece

    Anastasia Efklides

  2. , School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki,, 541 24, Greece

    Despina Moraitou

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MacLeod, A. (2012). Goals and Plans: Their Relationship to Well-Being. In: Efklides, A., Moraitou, D. (eds) A Positive Psychology Perspective on Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 51. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4963-4_3

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