Goals and desires, how to integrate them for effective and satisfying motivation
Goals and desires are fundamental elements of motivation. Understanding the differences and integrating them can turn aspirations into concrete realisations, both in personal and professional life
3' min read
3' min read
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" This is a question that all children hear themselves ask sooner or later and which spurs them to express their passions, ambitions, dreams and desires... A beautiful question, which contains the promise of being able to realise their aspirations: astronaut, scientist, postman, confectioner, doctor, veterinarian, priest, singer, farmer,...
Then, at the first job interviews, the question becomes: "What are the goals you have set for yourself for the next five years?" A legitimate question to assess the long-term vision and to understand the kind of commitment the person wants to put into the company, to which, however, the child in us might answer: "And my wishes, where did they go?"
Goals and desires are two concepts that have distinctive characteristics that profoundly influence our motivation: understanding the differences can be decisive for our satisfaction, both personal and job-related.
Goals are specific, measurable and action-oriented goals. They are characterised by concreteness and are precisely defined; they have deadlines that create a sense of urgency with respect to their achievement; they imply an organisation of activities and actions to get there. As the SMART model teaches, objectives are expressed through Specificity, Measurability, Achievability, Relevance and Timeliness.
Desires, on the other hand, represent broader and less structured aspirations. They are often driven by emotions and feelings and are generally expressed in a vague way, not necessarily foreseeing a precise time horizon. They can be generic, confused and even visionary. They are an attempt to put into words something that perhaps still belongs to the world of dreams.
