goals & their health implications key needs – autonomy, competence & relatedness intrinsic goals prioritising personal meaning, community contribution & intimacy, tend to satisfy these three key psychological needs directly. extrinsic goals prioritising money, status & image focus on achieving external rewards and praise – often at the expense of key basic need satisfaction. prioritising extrinsic goals is associated with increased anxiety, depression, narcissism & physical symptoms and decreased vitality, self-actualization & well-being

goals & well-being encourage wellbeing “intrinsic” goals e.g. emotional intimacy having many close & caring relationships; personal growth being fulfilled and having a very meaningful life; community contribution helping to make the world a better place encourage wellbeing “intrinsic” goals Sheldon, K. M. et al. (2004). "The inde-pendent effects of goal contents & motives on well-being: it's both what you pursue & why you pursue it." Pers Soc Psychol Bull 30(4): 475-86 goals are defined here as “projects you think about, plan for, carry out and sometimes (though not always) complete or succeed at” e.g. financial success having a job that pays very well and having a lot of nice possessions; fame/popularity being known and/or admired by many people; attractive image looking good and appearing attractive to others “extrinsic” goals unrelated to wellbeing