Using our understanding of time to increase self-efficacy towards goal achievement

This paper reports two studies that uniquely explore how time perspective (TP) predicts general self-efficacy (GSE) towards goal achievement. In Study 1, participants (N = 162) identified a goal they wished to achieve within the near future then completed questionnaires. For those who achieved their goal, the ‘past positive’ and ‘future’ TPs were found to positively predict GSE, whereas ‘present fatalism’ negatively predicted GSE. Study 2 explored whether accessing time related information that may not normally be used to determine GSE via a writing intervention can promote both near and distant-future goal achievement. Participants (N = 139) were randomly assigned to one of four writing conditions and results reveal that GSE towards goal achievement can increase with a focus on both a ‘positive past’ with a projective positive ‘future’ TP. Thus, focusing on particular TPs may function to enhance (or prevent) goal achievement.