A study at the University of Basel in Switzerland suggests that if you set attainable goals, you’ll experience more satisfaction.  The findings imply that setting goals that you believe you can achieve will make you feel more in control, which will lead to greater well-being.

As you and I know from experience, setting attainable goals is an ever-evolving process.  For example, if you set a goal today to get your master’s degree. Once you do, the goal post has moved, and you can begin reaching for the next attainable goal. The danger in setting goals that are so far out of reach from where you are today can lead to feeling easily dissuaded from even trying.  You risk losing faith in yourself…and so begins the downward spiral.

Setting realistic goals allows you to experience personal victories and genuine moments of happiness.  Even if you never reach the mountain top, each win is a worthy deposit into your happiness bank account.