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Existential and Psychological Health as Products of Intrinsic Goal Attainment
Nick StaunerPersonality Assessment Lab
University of California, Riverside
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Outline
Intro: existential & psychological well-being (WB)Hypothesis: goal attainment boosts all kinds of
WBMethod: two-part self-report internet surveyResults: multiple regression (IV=attainment;
DV=∆WB)A. Exclusion criteria
B. Main effects of attainment on well-beingC. Other main effects, interactions, and moderators
Recap summary
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Existential well-being
Meaning in life*
• Subjective clarity & significance of one’s own life1. “I understand my life’s meaning.”2. “My life has a clear sense of purpose.”3. “I have a good sense of what makes my
life meaningful.”4. “I have discovered a satisfying life
purpose.”5. “My life has no clear purpose.”
*Steger, Frazier, Oishi, & Kaler, 2006
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Psychological well-being
Meaning in life*
• Subjective clarity & significance of one’s own life
Psychological well-being (PWB)†
• Multidimensional theory of well-being
*Steger et al., 2006 †Ryff, 1989; Ryff & Keyes, 1995
1. Environmental mastery2. Self-acceptance3. Purpose
4. Autonomy5. Positive relations6. Personal growth
• Parenthood paradox • Guerrilla warfare!
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Meaning vs. subjective well-being*
• Parenthood paradox†
◦Decreases positive affect◦Changes life’s meaning (?)
*Baumeister, 1991 †Lyubomirsky & Boehm, 2010
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Meaning vs. subjective well-being*
• Parenthood paradox†
◦Decreases positive affect◦Changes life’s meaning (?)
• Guerrilla warfare!◦Not the most pleasant
lifestyle one could choose…◦Not for the weak of conviction!
*Baumeister, 1991 †Lyubomirsky & Boehm, 2010
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Goals as sources of meaning
“The degree and kind of meaning a person finds in life derives from the emotionally compelling qualities of the person’s goal pursuits.”*
“Goals appear to be prime constituents of the meaning-making process…Goals are an important source of personal meaning…Goals are used to construct meaning.”†
*Klinger, 1998 †Emmons, 1999
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Effect of goal attainment on SWB
Attainment increases subjective well-being*
• Predicts concurrent and future changes• Short and long-term
Progress increases vitality, self-actualization†
• May increase psychological well-being! (p < .10)*Brunstein, 1993; Sheldon & Kasser, 1998; Sheldon &
Elliot, 1999†Sheldon, Kasser, Smith, & Share, 2002
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Autonomy vs. controlledness*
Self-rated reasons for pursuing a goal+2 Intrinsic
◦ Fun, enjoyment, and interest in the experience
+1 Identified◦ Belief in value and importance of the goal
-1 Introjected◦ “Ought” feeling to avoid shame, guilt, or anxiety
-2 Extrinsic◦ Reward, praise, or approval from others
Main effect on SWB & attainment interaction
*Sheldon & Kasser, 1995, 1998, 2001; Sheldon, Ryan, Deci, & Kasser, 2004
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Intrinsic vs. extrinsic content*
Goal’s self-rated help toward “possible futures”
Intrinsic+ Having many close and caring relationships+ Being fulfilled and having a very meaningful life+ Helping to make the world a better place
Extrinsic- Being known and/or admired by many people- Looking good and appearing attractive to others- Getting a lucrative job and lots of nice possessions
Main effect on SWB & attainment interaction
*Sheldon & Kasser, 1995, 1998, 2001; Sheldon, Ryan, Deci, & Kasser, 2004
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Depth of meaning*
Ordinal categorization of sources of meaning
1. Hedonistic pleasure & comfort2. Personal potential, growth, creativity,
& self-actualization3. Service to others and commitment to a
larger societal or political cause4. Transcend individuality and encompass
cosmic meaning and ultimate purpose
*Reker & Wong, 1988; Reker, 2000
deep
shall
ow
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Hypotheses
1. Goal attainment boosts psychological well-being and meaning in life.
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Hypotheses
1. Goal attainment boosts psychological well-being and meaning in life.
2. Effects are stronger from goals that are: A. Autonomously motivated
◦ More enjoyable, important, & meaningful◦ Less obligatory or extrinsically rewarded
B. Intrinsically oriented and deeply meaningful
◦ More prosocial & self-transcendent◦ Less materialistic or self-indulgent
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Subjective Well-Being & Meaning
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule*
• Amount of 20 emotions in past few weeks◦ E.g., “Strong,” “Afraid,” rated 1 – 5
Satisfaction with Life Scale†
• 5 cognitive evaluations of global life satisfaction◦ E.g., “I am satisfied with my life,” rated 1 – 7
Meaning in Life Questionnaire‡ – Presence• 5 cognitive evaluations of global life
meaning◦ E.g., “My life has no clear purpose,” rated 1 – 7*Watson, Tellegen, & Clark, 1988
†Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985; ‡Steger et al., 2006
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Subjective Well-Being & Meaning
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule*
• Amount of 20 emotions in past few weeks◦ E.g., “Strong,” “Afraid,” rated 1 – 5
Satisfaction with Life Scale†
• 5 cognitive evaluations of global life satisfaction◦ E.g., “I am satisfied with my life,” rated 1 – 7
Meaning in Life Questionnaire‡ – Presence• 5 cognitive evaluations of global life
meaning◦ E.g., “My life has no clear purpose,” rated 1 – 7*Watson, Tellegen, & Clark, 1988
†Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985; ‡Steger et al., 2006
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Psychological Well-Being*
6 subscales of 9 items each, rated 1 – 6 (forced)
1. Environmental mastery(-) “I often feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities.”
2. Self-acceptance(+) “In general, I feel confident and positive about myself.”
3. Purpose(-) “My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant to me.”
4. Autonomy(-) “I tend to be influenced by people with strong opinions.”
5. Positive relations(+) “I know I can trust my friends, and they know they can trust me.”
6. Personal growth(-) “I am not interested in activities that will expand my horizons.”
*Springer & Hauser, 2006; Ryff, 1989; Ryff & Keyes, 1995
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Procedure
Time 1: 75-min. survey at quarter’s beginning• Well-being measured• Goals listed and rated• Lots of other personality measures…*
Time 2: 45-min. follow-up at quarter’s end
Well-being measured againTime 1 goals embedded & rated retrospectively
*Stay tuned for many more results in the future!
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Goal assessment
List 10 goals and why they’re being pursued• E.g., “Save money for a conference.”
◦ Why? “Because the hotel is expensive!”
“Categorize your goals” task (8 categories)
Goal ratings* (mostly scaled 1 – 4)Time 1: intrinsic, identified, introjected, extrinsic
pressure, extrinsic reward, etc….Time 2: progress + success = “attainment”
*List is not comprehensive; excludes those without hypotheses.
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Participants
407 undergraduates at UC Riverside• Young adults (M = 19.6 | SD = 2.3 | range = {17 – 44} )• 69% female (282 females, 125 males)• Ethnically diverse & representative of UCR population
42% East Asian 27% Hispanic or Latino 14% European 6% African 5% Western or South Asian 5%
multiracial
• Religion: mostly Christian, unaffiliated, or unknown51% Christian 22% atheist/agnostic/no affiliation 15% missing 8% Buddhist 2% Muslim 1% Hindu 2% other
• 43% freshmen, 24% sophomores, 24% juniors, 8% seniors, 6 others
• 89% full-timers (Mean credits = 13 | SD = 4)• 58% single (238 singles | 159 spoken for | 12 it’s-complicateds)• 29% working: mean hrs. = 15, SD = 9
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Family income bracket frequencies
<$50K <$75K <$100K <$125K >$125K0
40
80
120
160
200 185
79
49 4051
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Exclusion criteria
Attrition• 11.5% (47 didn’t return for time 2)
Completion time• 12.5% (45 excluded)
Inter-item invariance: • 20% (63 partially excluded)
Applied before performing any other analyses
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Main effects of goal attainment*
Multiple regression to predict well-being change• Predictors = time 1 well-being & time 2 attainment• Dependent = time 2 well-being
Subjective well-being (SWB)SWB = Life Satisfaction + Positive Affect - Negative Affect
Predictor β pTime 1 SWB .64 < 2 x 10-16
Attainment .17 < .0002
• Successful replication of the goal attainment boost†
*All df = {266 – 276} †Sheldon & Elliot, 1999
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Main effects of goal attainment*
Multiple regression to predict well-being change• Predictors = time 1 well-being & time 2 attainment• Dependent = time 2 well-being
Subjective well-being: Attainment β = .17, p < .001
Psychological well-being: β = .10, p < .005• Environmental mastery = .18 | Self-acceptance = .15• Positive relations = .08 |Personal growth = .10• Insignificant: Autonomy = .06 | Purpose = .05
Meaning in life: β = .10, p < .03
*
*Whitney, 2006
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Main effects of goal attainment*
Multiple regression to predict well-being change• Predictors = time 1 well-being & time 2 attainment• Dependent = time 2 well-being
Subjective well-being: Attainment β = .17, p < .001Psychological well-being (PWB)
Predictor β pTime 1 PWB .80 < 2 x 10-16
Attainment .10 < .004
• Successful replication†
*All df = {266 – 276}
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Main effects of goal attainment*
Multiple regression to predict well-being change• Predictors = time 1 well-being & time 2 attainment• Dependent = time 2 well-being
Subjective well-being: Attainment β = .17, p < .001Psychological well-being: Attain. β = .10, p < .004Meaning in life
Predictor β pTime 1 Meaning .69 < 2 x 10-16
Attainment .10 < .03
• Successful replication†
*All df = {266 – 276}
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Multiple regression to predict well-being change• Predictors = time 1 well-being & time 2 attainment• Dependent = time 2 well-being
Subjective well-being: Attainment β = .17, p < .001
Psychological well-being: Attain. β = .10, p < .004Meaning in life: Attainment β = .10, p < .03
Predictor β p
Hypothesis 1:Attainment .10 < .03• Successful replication†
Main effects of goal attainment*
*All df = {266 – 276}
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Main effects of goal attainment*
Predictor β p
Psychological well-being .10< .004Environmental mastery .18 < .000008Self-acceptance .15< .0002Positive relations .08 < .04Personal growth .10 < .04Autonomy .06 .11Purpose .05 .22
*All df = {266 – 276}
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Well-being composite
Well-being unidimensional at the subscale level
◦ Most subscale correlations > .50 in magnitude◦ Parallel analysis and scree plot indicate one
factor
• Composite well-being change from attainment: ◦ β = .12, p < .002
• Used in all results presented henceforth
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Correlations of well-being indices*
Time 1 index NA SWLS
ML-P
EM SA Purp.
PR PG Auto.
Positive Affect -.15 .52 .55 .50 .60 .61 .47 .44 .37
Negative Affect (NA) -.29 -.24
-.54
-.44 -.29
-.40
-.21 -.31
Life Satisfaction (SWLS) .57 .59 .71 .46 .56 .23 .34Meaning in Life (ML-P) .51 .61 .64 .46 .34 .46Environmental Mastery (EM) .76 .60 .62 .42 .52Self-Acceptance (SA) .62 .64 .40 .51Purpose (Purp.) .47 .62 .49Positive Relations (PR) .40 .36Personal growth (PG) .46Autonomy (Auto.)
*N = 290. All ps < .02. Time 1 only. |r| > .50 = green; |r| < .30 = red
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Correlations of well-being indices*
Time 2 index NA SWLS
ML-P
EM SA Purp.
PR PG Auto.
Positive Affect -.14 .42 .47 .53 .55 .51 .45 .38 .36
Negative Affect (NA) -.29 -.21
-.46
-.39 -.31
-.40
-.22 -.27
Life Satisfaction (SWLS) .47 .61 .68 .44 .55 .31 .37Meaning in Life (ML-P) .52 .55 .62 .45 .45 .42Environmental Mastery (EM) .77 .62 .66 .51 .56Self-Acceptance (SA) .68 .69 .49 .56Purpose (Purp.) .54 .67 .59Positive Relations (PR) .53 .46Personal growth (PG) .54Autonomy (Auto.)
*N = 270. All ps < .03. Time 2 only. |r| > .50 = green; |r| < .30 = red
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Well-being composite
Well-being unidimensional at the subscale level
◦ Most subscale correlations > .50 in magnitude◦ Parallel analysis and scree plot indicate one factor
• Composite well-being change from attainment: ◦ β = .12, p < .002
• Used in all results presented henceforth◦ Parallel analysis and scree plot indicate one factor
• Composite well-being change from attainment: ◦ β = .12, p < .002
• Used in all results presented henceforth
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Time 1 parallel analysis scree plot*
Factors
Eig
en
valu
es
*N = 290
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Time 2 parallel analysis scree plot*
Factors
Eig
en
valu
es
*N = 270
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Well-being composite
Well-being unidimensional at the subscale level
◦ Most subscale correlations > .50 in magnitude◦ Parallel analysis and scree plot indicate one factor
• Standardized and summed 3 types of well-being:1. Subjective well-being (SWLS + PA - NA)2. Psychological well-being (sum of 6 subscales)3. Presence of meaning in life
• T2 composite well-being from T1 & attainment: ◦ Attainment β = .12, p < .002
• Used in all results presented henceforth
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Moderation by goal content
*Objective judge coding in progress for validation purposes.
Self-categorized type*
Attainment β
p df
1. Health
.15 <.001
197
2. Academic
.11 <.004
272
3.
Social Relationships
.10 <.01 269
4. Affect Control
.11 <.02 163
5. Organization
.13 <.03 99
6.
Moral and Religious
.06 .21 136
7. Independence
.05 .26 186
8. Material Wealth
-.03 .57 172
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Main effects of goal characteristics
Predicting T2 well-being from T1 well-being and…
Extrinsic reward: β = -.09, p < .02◦ “Are you pursuing this goal because you hope to gain some
material possession or reward (e.g., a car, money, a high-paying job, a better place to live, etc.), or to avoid losing a material possession?”
Probability of success: β = .11, p < .02◦ “What are your chances of succeeding in this goal?”
Importance*: β = .09, p < .05◦ “Do you pursue this goal because you really believe it’s an
important goal to have?”
Investment*: β = .09, p < .05◦ “How willing are you to invest time, money, or effort to achieve
this goal?”
*Distributions of importance & investment are negatively skewed.
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Effect of self-rated goal importance on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Importance (β = .09, p = .04, n = 183)
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Effect of self-rated goal investment on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Investment (β = .09, p = .04, n = 202)
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Main effect of time frame
β = .08, p < .03• “What is your time frame for accomplishing
this goal?”
Interpret cautiously• Some extreme goals may fit both
extremes!
5 4 3 2 1Enduring life
goal or guiding value
Next few years
Next few months
Short term Day-to-day goal
(e.g., “make the most of life”)
(more than 1 year)
(less than 1 year)
(less than 1 month)
(e.g., “take out the trash”)
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Interactions with goal characteristics*
Extrinsic pressure x attainment: β = -.09, p < .05• “Do you pursue this goal because someone else
wants you to, or because the situation demands it?”
Intrinsic x attainment: β = -.06, p < .06• “Do you pursue this goal because someone else
wants you to, or because the situation demands it?”
Attainability x attainment: β = -.07, p < .05• “What are your chances of succeeding in this goal?”
*All df = {183 – 265}
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & extrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 183)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & extrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 183)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & extrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 183)
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Interactions with goal characteristics*
Extrinsic pressure x attainment: β = -.09, p < .05• “Do you pursue this goal because someone else
wants you to, or because the situation demands it?”
Intrinsic x attainment: β = -.06, p < .06• “Do you pursue this goal for the fun and
enjoyment that it provides you?”
Attainability x attainment: β = -.07, p < .05• “What are your chances of succeeding in this
goal?”
*All df = {183 – 265}
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & intrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 265)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & intrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 265)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & intrinsic motivation on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 265)
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Interactions with goal characteristics*
Extrinsic pressure x attainment: β = -.09, p < .05• “Do you pursue this goal because someone else
wants you to, or because the situation demands it?”
Intrinsic x attainment: β = -.06, p < .06• “Do you pursue this goal for the fun and
enjoyment that it provides you?”
Attainability x attainment: β = -.07, p < .05• “What are your chances of succeeding in this
goal?”
*All df = {183 – 265}
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & attainability on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 220)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & attainability on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 220)
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Standardized effects of goal attainment & attainability on well-being change
Ch
an
ge i
n w
ell
-bein
g
Attainment (df = 220)
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Conclusions
Goal attainment boosts meaning & PWB• Hypothesis 1 confirmed!
Goal attainment effect on well-being is moderated by goal content and motivation• Hypothesis 2 partially supported
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Theoretical implications
The goal attainment process builds and links positive, existential, and motive psychology
Mixed evidence for/against moderator theories• Autonomy/controlledness of motivation*
• Intrinsic/extrinsic goal orientation* • Depth of meaning†*Sheldon & Kasser, 1995, 1998, 2001; Sheldon, Ryan, Deci, &
Kasser, 2004†Reker & Wong, 1988; Reker, 2000
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Limitations & recommendations
Limitations• Short time span• Difficulty distinguishing existential from affective well-
being• Subjectivity of goal ratings & categorizations• N too small to split by goal content or religious affiliations
Recommendations• Experimental goal interventions* to reinforce causal
claims• Behavioral logs & health outcomes to assess effect
objectively
*E.g., Sheldon, Kasser, Smith, & Share, 2002
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PHIN
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Planned analyses
Objective criteria of goal categories, depth of meaning, value concordance, coherence & conflict
Attainment interactions with goal content & personality traits
Exploration of quadratic effects
Multilevel modeling of differences among goals• Meaning, attainment, & self-determination at the goal
level• Person-level differences in ratings as dependent variable
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Meaning vs. PWB-Purpose
1. I understand my life’s meaning2.My life has a clear sense of
purpose3. I have a good sense of what makes
my life meaningful4. I have discovered a satisfying life
purpose5. My life has no clear purpose
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Meaning vs. PWB-Purpose
1. I enjoy making plans for the future and working to make them a reality
2. My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant to me3. I am an active person in carrying out the plans I set for myself4. I tend to focus on the present, because the future nearly always
brings me problems5. I don’t have a good sense of what it is I am trying to accomplish
in life6. I sometimes feel as if I’ve done all there is to do in life7. I used to set goals for myself, but that now seems like a waste of
time8. Some people wander aimlessly through life but I am not one of
them9. I live life one day at a time and don’t really think about the future