03/01/2012Aligning Strengths with Goals: Creating a Self-Concordant JourneyBy Linda FaucheuxAs Career Counselors, it is common to see clients set goals but fail to follow through with them or to witness clients achieve their goals only to find they are not any happier than before. How do we help our clients create meaningful goals worth striving for that actually make them happier and more fulfilled in their careers? Positive Psychology researchers have made some important discoveries in this area.
What are Self-Concordant Goals?
Self-concordant goals are goals that are aligned with who we are, our authentic self, and with what we really want to do in our lives. They are goals that we pursue out of deep personal conviction. Sheldon and Houser-Marko found that a person who sets self-concordant goals enjoys the experience of authenticity, which has value in and of itself, and creates an upward emotional spiral that contributes to greater well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction. When you are experiencing this upward spiral of well-being, you are accessing the most positive, talented, and best part of yourself. Any decision or goal you make from that place is a powerful predictor of success.
Why Focus on Strengths?
Tal Ben-Shahar, who teaches a very popular University of Pennsylvania course in Positive Psychology, explains there are two kinds of strengths; extrinsic strengths and intrinsic strengths.
Extrinsic Strengths
Intrinsic Strengths
The Strengths Zone
For example if Maximizer is one of your top five Strengthsfinder themes, you are someone who strives to turn something good into something great. You polish the pearl until it shines. What if you also scored highly on the character strength in the VIA of Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence? This character strength is about a sense of wonder and awe. You have an eye for beauty and excellence and are deeply touched by it. The overlap is the extrinsic talent and motivation to make things excellent coupled with an intrinsic eye for excellence. When you find yourself in your strengths zone, you are intrinsically interested and extrinsically capable and that feels authentic. This experience sets the stage for the opportunity to set a meaningful goal that is worth pursuing and achieving. It is a pathway to your unique way of being that if consciously developed has the potential to be your unique genius and your most profound contribution to the world.
In summary, by calling on the part of you that is an expression of you at your best, you are setting yourself up for the potential for greater success and achievement in the specific way you are uniquely wired to perform. In addition, a trickle effect also occurs that creates a stronger internal capacity to deal with life’s challenges. This combination of extrinsic and intrinsic resources provides powerful fuel for creating meaningful goals worth striving for and also the capacity to follow through in the obtainment of your goals.
Linda Faucheux, MA, LPC, manages and supervises the Career Counseling Team at University of Colorado, Career Services. Linda is passionate about Positive Psychology, career counseling supervision and training, and strengths based leadership. She can be reached at Linda.Faucheux@Colorado.edu 3 CommentsLinda Pollock on Wednesday 03/07/2012 at 04:31 PM Thanks for the article. I like the overlap of strengths we can observe and our values which drive us. I see people at their best when they overlap and appreciate you outlining it here! Sunitha Narayanan on Monday 03/12/2012 at 07:51 PM Linda: Thanks for sharing--I like your capturing the heart of this topic, "expression of you at your best." An authentic, honest and deep self-reflection of motivated strengths with expression of the same allows opportunities to come to you naturally and often. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the comments shown above are those of the individual comment authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of this organization.
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Anna M. Aragon on Saturday 03/03/2012 at 11:41 AM
Linda; fabulous article with excellent key theme for strong and important case management. this is the area where most folks are almost always at a low point when they meet with us. love and blessings......Anna