Inspired to get there: The effects of trait and goal inspiration on goal progress

The present investigation examined the effects of trait and goal inspiration on goal progress. Undergraduate students reported three goals they intended to pursue throughout the semester and completed measures of trait and goal inspiration as well as measures of personality traits. Participants then reported on goal progress three times at monthly intervals throughout the semester. Result showed that trait inspiration predicted goal progress, and that this effect was fully mediated by goal inspiration and held after controlling for the Big Five personality traits. Additional within-person analyses of goal inspiration showed that most of the variance in goal inspiration was due to between-person individual differences. Furthermore, analyses of the direction of causality between goal inspiration and goal progress revealed a bi-directional relationship. Discussion focused on the implications and future directions for research on inspiration.

► We examined the effects of trait and goal inspiration on goal progress.
► Trait inspiration predicted goal progress, controlling for Big Five traits.
► Effect of trait inspiration was fully mediated by goal inspiration.
► Relationship between goal inspiration and goal progress was bi-directional.
► Most of the variance in goal inspiration was due to individual differences.