Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.
Thomas Carlyle
Carlyle’s quote sums up the impact of accomplishment in a nutshell, but why is it such a human drive? Accomplishment is the fifth pillar in Martin Seligman’s PERMA© model of wellbeing. The other elements are Positive emotions, engagement, relationships and meaning. (add links to each for the other blogs).
Accomplishment is defined in the PERMA model as the pursuit of ‘ competence, success, and mastery for its own sake ... even when it does not necessarily lead to positive emotion, meaning, or relationships.’ In other words, there is pleasure in achieving an outcome as a result of effort, determination, setbacks, perhaps even pain, for its own sake.
And yet, while the drive for accomplishment may lead to self-esteem and confidence, it can also be at the exclusion or sacrifice of relationships, become obsessiveness and lead to existential malaise. Think about all the literature, drama and hero stories in human history that tell the tale of the dogged pursuit of success that, once achieved, leaves the protagonist feeling empty and lost.
On the other hand, true wellbeing is seldom achieved without a sense of accomplishment. So, what’s behind this?
The neuroscience points to evidence that we are driven to achieve goals because of the role of dopamine. We are now learning that dopamine is behind motivation rather than necessarily, an end state of pleasure.
Dr Sydney Caruto (a Forbes Council member of invitation-only coaches and leadership experts think tank) quotes a 2012 study at Vanderbilt University which showed that depending on which part of the brain showed up with high levels, dopamine drove individuals either towards goals or away from them. Neuroscientists are calling this effect ‘motivational salience’ or in other words a prominent and unexpected influence on behaviour.
This fascinating insight into the complex role dopamine has on the brain and subsequent behaviour is great news for the achievement of wellbeing. It means we can learn behaviours that stimulate the part of the brain that motivates us to achieve and dampen that part of the brain that uses dopamine to motivate us to reject accomplishment.
For example, we know that we can stimulate the production of neurotransmitters that calm us such as serotonin through breathing and meditation or, when we need adrenalin for action, we can amp that up through stirring language or threat.
One of the ways we know that success works for us and reinforces motivation is to create goals and milestones. We can reinforce that momentum by celebrating each time we reach a milestone or if we miss it, learning from that shortfall and applying that lesson to renewed action. By doing this and building at each point we strengthen that part of the brain producing the forward motivation and lessen the part that drives us away from accomplishment.
There are many tried and true methods for that you can find resources here (link) for increasing your sense of accomplishment. Hint – it’s not about doing more!
The 5 pillars of wellbeing can work independently and can be measured separately. It is the complex interplay of each element (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment) that is the alchemy of wellbeing.
In the next blog, I will examine the global and economic impacts that using wellbeing as an indicator of healthy societies might have based on some intriguing research being conducted at the moment.
