OH! Magazine - Australian Version February 2014 (Australian Version) | Page 25

FIONA
COSGROVE

THE 3 THINGS
THAT DRIVE US

PART 2 NT
VEME

wellnesscoachingaustralia.com.au

( Wellness Coaching )

ACHIE

Fiona Cosgrove explores the second of the three
things that people most crave in their life.
This time she examines ‘achievement’.
he second ‘drive’ that is mentioned
by many social researchers is the
need for achievement.
We all like to achieve things, but have
you ever noticed that often when we
accomplish a milestone (e.g., finish an
exam, run a marathon, lose 5kg) the elated
feeling doesn’t last very long?
American psychologist Martin Seligman,
modified his definition of happiness and
wellbeing to include ‘achievement’ as one
of the ingredients required in the recipe for
a happy life. Those of us who feel motivated
by ticking things off a to-do list will probably
breathe a sigh of relief knowing we are on
the right track! These lists can provide a
sense of purpose and, if we take the time to
acknowledge and enjoy the sense of
satisfaction when we finish those tasks, can
also enhance our overall wellbeing.
It’s
important
to
realise
that
‘achievement’ can mean different things to
different people. But what we can safely
say is that achievement requires some type
of ‘to-do’ list; this may be more commonly
referred to as ‘goal-setting’.
The interesting thing about goals is that
they have a positive link with success
meaning, people who set goals are more
likely to succeed than those who don’t.
Having a plan or a time frame in which to
perform certain tasks that lead to a specific
end result, requires commitment. And it
works better than when we don’t have any
clarity about what we want to achieve.
The problem is that many people believe
success brings happiness, when the truth
is, it actually may not.
By this I mean, if you pin your happiness
on succeeding at all costs, but you don’t
actually allow yourself to feel satisfaction

T

TAP HERE

to read part 1
of this article series

along the way, then you run the risk of
ending up with a very empty feeling
once you achieve the overall outcome.
In other words, it is as important to
enjoy the journey as it is to arrive at
the destination. For example, very
often we hear people talk about
losing weight – going on strict
diets that will involve discomfort
and deprivation – because
they believe it is a means to
an end. However, strict diets
typically end in a temporary
loss of body weight and
short-lived
pleasure,
which is soon reversed
when we become tired of
feeling deprived.
So yes, give yourself
something to aim for, but
ensure that the steps along
the way have a distinct
degree of enjoyment, and
that you give yourself
plenty of opportunities for
satisfaction (and box ticking)
along the way! Having goals
is more important than
attaining them, and the
methods (or behaviours) we
choose to reach those goals are
the most crucial factor that will
influence our happiness.
Check next month for Part 3 of this article series
on ‘The 3 Things That Drive Us’.

( OH! MAGAZINE ) ISSUE 7

25