From Task Management to Self-Actualization: Enhancing Behavioral Intention in Digital Goal-Setting

Abstract

Goal planning is central to personal development, yet users often struggle with self-motivation in digital environments that rely on extrinsic rewards. To explore how design can better support meaningful, self-actualizing goals, we conducted a three-part mixed-methods study: a qualitative investigation of goal journeys (Study 1), a market review of nine goal-setting applications and their user reviews (Study 2), and an exploratory 10-day evaluation of a web application featuring sub-goal deconstruction, personal significance notation, and flexible completion criteria (Study 3). The intervention produced no significant changes in procrastination or self-efficacy, but a small significant increase in behavioral intention toward goal-setting, an effect exploratory sub-group analysis suggested may be pronounced among full-time employees. Participants reported that the features reduced overwhelm and provided the “courage to start” tasks, though users with a binary view of achievement resisted flexible completion. We conclude with design recommendations for shifting focus from extrinsic motivators to intrinsic reflection.