Why people with high self-control achieve their goals

Better nutrition, more exercise, education and training, quitting smoking, more time for the family - many people know these New Year's resolutions, but far fewer actually put them into practice. It is no longer a secret that self-control is a decisive factor. People with a high level of self-control are better able to resist spontaneous temptations and focus more on their long-term goals. Psychologists have sought numerous explanations for why this is so, including that people with high self-control have stronger habits that support goal achievement. Michail Kokkoris of the WU Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research, together with Olga Stavrova and Tila Pronk, has now found another explanation: People with high self-control choose their goals differently: they are more likely to set them according to their personality.

Staying true to yourself pays off

The researchers were able to identify two decisive factors for success: First, it was found that the subjects with high self-control were more likely to achieve their goals because they set them in such a way that they corresponded to their "true selves." That is, their resolutions focused less on how the goal they set would affect the external environment and what other people would think of it, and more on ensuring that the goal was in line with their self-image and corresponded to their values. "The importance of authenticity, i.e., being oneself, has long been emphasized by philosophers and has also been empirically researched in science in recent decades," Kokkoris said, "Now we see that this is also important in goal achievement."

Better self-control enables faster goal achievement

On the other hand, the results of the study show that the decision to set goals that match one's own self-image also means that self-controlled people also make faster progress in achieving their goals. "You can see quite clearly how important it is to really set your goals for yourself and not for your social environment. People with high self-control achieve their goals not only because they are better at suppressing some needs and resisting temptations. They achieve them because they choose goals that suit them. They may then find it easier to persevere because it feels authentic," he says.

Comprehensive study design

The study authors arrived at the results through several research methods. Among other things, students were asked to keep a diary for one week. At the beginning of the project, the students had to set their goals for the coming week and then evaluate and reflect on them according to a wide variety of criteria. Individual self-control was also examined in their own surveys. One week later, students were asked about progress toward their goal. "The next time you set goals, remember: the secret of people with high self-control is that they know which goals are paramount, they choose their goals according to their own values, and they find them personally valuable and meaningful - that is, they don't have goals imposed on them from the outside," Kokkoris appeals.

Source and information about the study