It’s the journey, not the destination: How metaphor drives growth after goal attainment.

People pursue goals throughout their lives, and many of these attempts end happily-a goal is achieved. However, what facilitates the continuation of behaviors that are aligned with the completed goal, such as continuing to monitor food intake after completing a diet program? The results of 6 studies involving over 1,600 people across cultures and samples (executives in Africa, dieters in a 7-day food diary program, exercisers in a 14-day walking...