When visions truly inspire: The moderating role of self-concordance in boosting positive affect, goal commitment, and goal progress

Abstract

Research demonstrates that visions elicit positive affective reactions, which can mobilize and motivate behavior. However, the factors that determine their effectiveness remain largely unknown. We examine the role of self-concordance in shaping the extent to which visions elicit positive affect and promote vision-related goal pursuit. We develop and test a moderated mediation model, where self-concordance moderates the path from visions through positive affect to both goal commitment and goal progress. In a first cross-sectional experiment (N = 358), we found that an evoked vision (compared to merely listing a “superordinate goal”) produced more positive affect, especially when self-concordance was high (vs. low). A second time-lagged experiment with a one-month interval (N = 288) revealed that with high (vs. low) self-concordance, visions led to increased positive affect and commitment to vision-derived goals. A third time-lagged experiment (N = 254) confirmed the pattern with a more diverse sample, showing that it extends to goal progress as well. We discuss theoretical and practical implications and suggest directions for future research.