The type of goals we set for ourselves can affect how happy we feel. Two studies looked at how our personal motives influence our emotional well-being when we work towards our goals. They found that making progress on goals that match our motives makes us feel better, while working on goals that don't match our motives can make us feel worse. In one study, students who were committed to achievable goals that aligned with their motives felt happier over time. On the other hand, students who were committed to goals that didn't match their motives felt less happy. This suggests that understanding our motives and setting goals that align with them can lead to greater emotional well-being.