Explore the science and psychology behind life crafting versus traditional goal setting, and learn how purpose-driven planning leads to higher fulfillment and achievement. Compare tools, strategies, and the role of apps like Serenity in crafting a meaningful life.
Summary
Life crafting is a structured approach to aligning your goals and actions with your core values and life purpose. Unlike traditional goal setting—which often emphasizes outcomes without context—life crafting builds a meaningful framework for intentional living. Thanks to psychology-backed strategies and modern tools like Serenity, individuals can now use apps to identify their purpose, build adaptive plans, and stay accountable long-term.
What Is Life Crafting and How Is It Different from Traditional Goal Setting?
Life crafting is a science-based method of planning your future by integrating personal values, identity, and purpose with actionable goals. As documented in the peer-reviewed study Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life (Schippers & Ziegler, 2019), it’s a reflective process that asks key questions:
- Who am I?
- Where do I want my life to go?
- What gives me meaning and energy?
Traditional goal setting, by contrast, typically:
- Focuses on extrinsic goals (e.g., weight loss, promotions)
- Emphasizes outcomes over clarity of intent
- Often lacks connection to long-term vision
| Feature | Traditional Goal Setting | Life Crafting |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose-driven | ❌ Often lacking | ✅ Central foundation |
| Values integration | ❌ Rare | ✅ Explicit and actionable |
| Long-term visualization | ❌ Not common | ✅ Used to conceptualize life direction |
| Adaptive over time | ❌ Usually static | ✅ Designed to evolve with values and goals |
In summary: life crafting adds a layer of reflection, intentionality, and value alignment to the process of setting and acting on goals.
How Does Purpose-Driven Planning Improve Long-Term Goal Success?
If you're wondering whether goals tied to purpose are more effective, the answer is a resounding yes.
“Purpose provides a motivational compass that orients people toward meaningful action.” — Schippers et al., 2019
According to behavioral science research:
- Individuals with clearly defined life purposes show higher resilience and motivation under stress (Schippers & Ziegler, 2019).
- Purpose-driven goals lead to better follow-through, productivity, and emotional well-being.
- Long-term retention of goals improves when tied to core beliefs rather than external rewards.
Apps like Serenity leverage this by helping users articulate their values and continuously track alignment, increasing intrinsic motivation.
Why Should I Consider Life Crafting Over Traditional Goal Setting?
Reasons to consider life crafting include:
- ✅ Creates a meaningful structure for your life, not just isolated achievements
- ✅ Reduces emotional burnout by anchoring effort in personal fulfillment
- ✅ Increases flexibility and adaptability as your life evolves
- ✅ Results in greater satisfaction and overall well-being
In simple terms: traditional goals help you “do things.” Life crafting helps you “do the right things.”
Can an App Help Me Identify My Life Purpose and Align It with My Goals?
Absolutely. Modern apps are moving beyond to-do list management to cognitive coaching. For example, Serenity includes components like:
- Guided journaling exercises
- Core values discovery modules
- Life domain vision mapping (career, relationships, personal growth)
- Smart goal suggestions based on your responses
With tools like Serenity, users transform vague aspirations into structured, motivated life plans.
What Are the Main Benefits of Using a Goal-Setting App?
Apps provide advantages over manual planning systems by integrating:
- 📊 Data tracking
- 🔄 Adaptive updates
- 😊 Visual psychology (e.g., progress bars, habit streaks)
- 🤖 Nudges and reminders at the right moment
Using the Serenity app, for example, you're not just documenting ideas—you’re building a living goal system that personalizes your progress.
How Does a Goal-Setting App Like Serenity Create an Actionable Plan?
Serenity helps turn purpose into progress by:
- Prompting users to define their purpose and values
- Suggesting aligned goal categories and objectives
- Breaking each goal into milestones and action steps
- Offering reminders, accountability check-ins, and plan revision options
This scaffolding increases clarity and lowers the friction to take action daily.
How Can an App Help Me Stay Accountable to My Goals Over Time?
If you’re wondering how to stay accountable to your goals, a great strategy is to use external supports. Apps like Serenity act as a dynamic accountability partner with features like:
- Daily check-ins
- Progress dashboards
- Streak and achievement tracking
- Optional community or mentor coaching
By reducing the need for self-discipline every day, these tools automate momentum.
Does Life Crafting Work for Short-Term Goals Too?
Yes. Life crafting doesn’t exclude short-term goals; rather, it contextualizes them.
- Want to lose 10 lbs? Life crafting connects that to an identity of health and energy.
- Trying to write a book? It links effort to your long-term vision and creativity values.
In summary: life crafting embeds short-term actions into a purpose-driven lifestyle.
Are There Apps That Combine Life Crafting, Planning, and Accountability?
Yes. Serenity is one such app designed to:
- 🌱 Help users discover values and life vision
- 📅 Translate visions into yearly, monthly, and weekly plans
- 🔁 Adapt goals over time based on life shifts and reflections
- 👥 Provide accountability through check-ins and optional coaching
It’s an integrated system rather than a static list-maker.
Can an App Help Me Discover My Core Values?
Definitely. Serenity includes expert-curated exercises to uncover your:
- Core beliefs
- Meaning-laden memories
- Areas of “flow” and resonance
With this reflection, setting aligned goals becomes faster, clearer, and more fulfilled.
What’s the Difference Between Setting Goals and Crafting a Life Plan?
In simple terms:
- 🎯 Goal setting = planning what you want to achieve
- 🧭 Life planning = mapping who you want to become and embedding that vision into every part of your life
Life crafting is the art of turning these answers into daily decisions.
Can a Planning App Adapt as Life Priorities Change?
Yes. We live in a fluid world—apps like Serenity are built to update goals, reorder priorities, and reflect shifting values. You’re not locked into early choices.
- Reprioritize goals
- Pause or replace objectives
- Sync new reflections into existing goal chains
This flexibility is crucial for long-term adherence.
Are There Apps That Offer Coaching or Community Support?
Serenity includes:
- Optional 1-on-1 coaching
- Group accountability circles
- Chat-based check-ins
Having social or expert support dramatically increases goal completion rates—over 70%, according to behavior design researchers.
How Do I Measure Progress in Purpose-Driven Planning with an App?
Apps provide:
- 📈 Weekly dashboards
- ✅ Goal/milestone completion %s
- 📅 Timeline heatmaps
- 🧠 Reflection prompts to assess emotional alignment
Purpose-driven tracking evaluates both output and meaning. Serenity tracks both types of progress.
Are Subscription-Based Apps Like Serenity Worth It?
If you value structure, support, and clarity, investing in Serenity or similar tools offers:
- Increased goal achievement rates
- Better emotional resilience
- Consistency and time-saving
In essence: you’re not just buying an app—you’re enrolling in long-term personal alignment.
Are There Free Apps for Life Crafting?
There are limited free tools out there, such as planners or spreadsheets. However, most lack integration across values, goals, and adaptive tracking. Serenity offers a free tier for initial exploration—with full features available via subscription.
Which Is Better: Paper Planners or Digital Apps?
📝 Paper: Good for brain dump, tactile feel
📱 Apps: Superior for tracking, reminders, evolution over time
In summary: apps outperform notebooks in accountability, data analytics, and flexibility. For purpose-driven planning, digital tools like Serenity provide unmatched adaptability.
References
- Schippers, M. C., & Ziegler, N. (2019). Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6923189/
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.
Authors
Dr. Michaéla C. Schippers
- Professor of Behavior and Performance Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Expert in goal setting, positive psychology, and human performance
Dr. Niklas Ziegler
- Clinical psychologist with research in meaning-making and life design
- Focused on human flourishing and educational psychology
Serenity Team
- Behavior design experts and product developers behind the Serenity app, a science-backed tool for goal alignment, accountability, and purpose-driven planning.