Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. Last week I was listening to an episode of the Freakonomics podcast where they were discussing goal hierarchy and happiness. I wanted to bring that discussion here to the topics we typically cover together
The conversation between economist Steven Levitt and psychologist Angela Duckworth, is worth listening to and can be found on the Freakonomics podcast episode (insert #). The cliff notes version is that we all have different goals that we self sort into a hierarchy. If/when some of our higher level goals come into conflict, the resulting internal struggle is a good predictor of unhappiness.
In other words, when things that are important to us become mutually exclusive, we tend to be less satisfied and more frustrated. While this isn’t an Earth shattering concept, it helps to reanalyze your goals and their place within your own personal hierarchy. What actually is important to you?
Being a parent is the highest priority in many of our lives. There is a foundational change in our thought process and decision making once we become responsible for our children. This becomes one of the highest goals in the hierarchy, as well as one of the most time consuming. Parenting is a full time job.
I don’t know anyone who has gotten into aviation, especially flying, just for the paycheck. There is something special about flying as a profession, that it is both a means to make a living, as well as a passion. By it’s nature, It also requires a significant time investment away from home and family.
Inevitably, these two things come into conflict on a regular basis. I love my family, I don’t want to miss birthdays, holidays, and extracurriculars. I also love to fly and it often times makes those demands of me.
Throw in athletic pursuits and goals, the training and competition requirements that go along with them, and the potential for multiple goals to conflict gets even higher.
This idea of goal conflict is a constant internal struggle, especially for highly motivated individuals. I am dedicated to my family, but I leave them on a regular basis to fly. I am dedicated to my athletic pursuits, but I’m constantly forced to alter my training around my family’s schedule and the varying time, location, and equipment available variables of a traveling lifestyle. I have passed up plenty of lucrative and exciting flying opportunities to be at home with family or compete in a triathlon or grappling match.
If you want to go a step further, this blog has been a platform to explore and explain my journey into health and wellness. Flying as a profession, is terrible for health and wellness. Sitting all day, limited food options, and circadian rhythm disruptions are in direct conflict with my stated goals of health, wellness, and longevity.
All of this goal conflict, left unchecked can, and often does, lead to a sense of discontent. I find that even in the face of objective accomplishment, I am often not happy with my day. I will look back on a day’s completed to-do list, often full and productive, with anxiety and regret, wishing there was more time to put in miles, enjoy a layover, play with my boys, and bond with my wife.
The sense of discontent requires a careful examination of the day’s events, and how they stacked up according to my overall goals. Some of the goal conflict is easy to brush aside, other days it keeps me up at night.
There is plenty of research on how the setting of goals is helpful for motivation and eventual results. I consider myself highly motivated and this has never been too much of an issue. The idea of goal conflict and goal hierarchy however, has been extremely useful in helping to avoid that sense of discontent by making choices that reflect my stated goals, in their proper order.
What’s important to you, and what do you do when multiple important things become mutually exclusive?
Thanks for joining me, stay safe and stay sweaty my friends.
