A Matter of Perspective

Chasing our goals gives life meaning and purpose. As human beings, we all share a universal drive to shape our world to match our values and ideals—and that drive becomes a powerful source of motivation. Research shows, however, that not all goals (or motivations) are created equal. The way we set and frame our goals can make a big difference in how successful—and how fulfilled—we feel.

Performance Goals vs. Mastery Goals (Ames & Archer, 1988)

Performance goals focus on proving your abilities in comparison to others—wanting to be better than someone else.
Mastery goals, on the other hand, focus on learning, growth, and personal improvement—wanting to be better than you were yesterday.

These two types of goals lead to very different behaviors and emotional outcomes. For example, when a task becomes difficult, people pursuing performance goals are more likely to give up. In contrast, those with mastery goals tend to stick with the task, stay motivated, and experience more enjoyment while doing it (Ames, 1992; Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Treasure & Roberts, 1995).

Approach Motivation vs. Avoidance Motivation

Approach motivation is about moving toward a positive outcome—like saying, “I want to become more active during the week.”
Avoidance motivation is about steering away from a negative one—like, “I don’t want to spend all my time in front of the TV.”

Like the performance/mastery distinction, these two types of motivation impact how we feel and behave. Avoidance-based goals often come with more stress, anxiety, and less satisfaction—even if we succeed (Elliot & Sheldon, 1997, 1998).

While avoidance motivation can help us avoid threats (which is useful in survival scenarios), approach motivation is much more powerful for personal growth and fulfillment. When there’s no real danger, being overly focused on what we want to avoid can cause us to miss out on opportunities and experiences. Ironically, the more we obsess over avoiding something, the more likely we are to attract it. For example; when we focus too much on not making mistakes during a presentation, we often become more nervous and end up stumbling over our words - exactly what we feared.

Connecting Motivation to the Right Kind of Goal

When setting a goal, it’s not just the what that matters—but also the why and how. Just having a mastery goal isn’t enough. Research suggests that combining mastery goals with approach motivation creates the best conditions for success and well-being.

By contrast, combinations like performance + avoidance or even mastery + avoidance tend to lead to worry, distraction, and loss of motivation (Cury, Elliot, Da Fonseca, & Moller, 2006; Harackiewicz et al., 2002).

Sometimes our motivation style is influenced by how confident we feel. For instance, someone with performance goals and high self-confidence will often use approach motivation. But someone with the same performance goals and low self-confidence may slip into avoidance—trying not to be judged or fail in front of others.

That’s why it’s so important to believe in your own skills and take pride in who you are—as a friend, partner, professional, parent, or even athlete. Self-confidence helps you take a more positive, proactive path—and ultimately reach your goals more easily and with greater joy.

What to Remember

Stay focused on the positive and move toward your goals! Even when you’re trying to avoid something negative, look for a way to frame your actions around what you want to experience instead. This mindset makes it easier to succeed in all areas of life—from your work to your health.

Let’s Practice

How can you reshape a goal for better results?

Initial Goal (Weaker: Performance + Approach):
→ Win a 200-meter race.

First Revision (Weaker: Performance + Avoidance):
→ I don’t want to lose the race.

Final Version (Stronger: Mastery + Approach):
→ I want to improve my race time by 5 seconds before the event.

It’s all about perspective!

References :

- Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students’ learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of educational psychology, 80, 260.

- Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of educational psychology, 84, 261.

- Cury, F., Elliot, A. J., Da Fonseca, D., & Moller, A. C. (2006). The social-cognitive model of achievement motivation and the 2× 2 achievement goal framework. Journal of personality and social psychology, 90, 666.

- Dweck, C. S., & Leggett, E. L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological review, 95, 256.

- Elliot, A. J., & Sheldon, K. M. (1997). Avoidance achievement motivation: a personal goals analysis. Journal of personality and social psychology, 73, 171.

- Elliot, A. J., Sheldon, K. M., & Church, M. A. (1997). Avoidance personal goals and subjective well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 915-927.

- Elliot, A. J., & Sheldon, K. M. (1998). Avoidance personal goals and the personality–illness relationship. Journal of personality and social psychology, 75, 1282.

- Harackiewicz, J. M., Barron, K. E., Pintrich, P. R., Elliot, A. J., & Thrash, T. M. (2002). Revision of achievement goal theory: Necessary and illuminating. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 638-645.

- Mowrer, O. (1960). Learning theory and behavior. New York: Willey. Treasure, D. C., & Roberts, G. C. (1995). Applications of achievement goal theory to physical education: Implications for enhancing motivation. Quest, 47, 475-489