Personal Goal Setting and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study of Adult Professionals

This mixed methods study was designed to examine the potential impactful relationship between personal goal setting and the quality of life satisfaction (built upon the Goal Setting Theory of motivation and performance). The study aimed to determine how influential the goal achievement process is (or is not) regarding personal fulfillment and well-being. Adults from four Delaware-based professional organizations (DuPont Company Human Resources, Society for Human Resource Management, Wilmington University Alumni Association, and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) responded to a probing interview protocol and a revealing demographic questionnaire for participation in this study. The responses were analyzed to determine how related personal goal setting behavior is to producing a satisfying quality of life, and how personal goal setting and quality of life as influenced by personal demographic variation. The study findings from the ANOVA and t-test for independent samples data analysis revealed a primary condition, the goal setting achievement process (Sig. value 0.005) as having a statistically significant impactful difference on QOL satisfaction. Specifically, when a condition of goal setting (GS) performance exists (e.g., the GS achievement process utilized), adults can experience a greater influence on their quality of life satisfaction experience.