In the world of psychology (specifically Self-Determination Theory) self-concordant goals are the holy grail of personal productivity. Simply put, self-concordant goals represent who you actually are. They aren’t the things you feel you should do because of societal pressure or fear of judgment. Instead, they are the pursuits that align with your deepest values and authentic interests. When you pursue a self-concordant goal, the effort feels less like “work” and more like an expression of your identity.
The Four Types of Goal Motivation
If you’re familiar with the work of Kennon Sheldon, you likely know these 4 categories of goals:
| Motivation Type | The “Why” | Self-Concordance Level |
| Intrinsic | You do it because it’s inherently fun or challenging. | High |
| Identified | You do it because you truly believe it is important/valuable. | High |
| Introjected | You do it to avoid guilt or to boost your ego. | Low |
| External | You do it because someone else told you to or for a reward. | Low |