Goal Complexes and the Complexity of Goals

According to the hierarchical ideas of goal complex theory, there are many facets to consider when examining goal setting, particularly what a person is trying to achieve and why they are pursuing that goal. In other words, their direction and energy. Applied to Daisy, this theory helps us understand her persistence in striving for greatness despite the many challenges she faces in the music industry. Her overarching goal seems simple: “to make good records,” as she proclaims in a conversation with Teddy. However, to achieve this, she must complete a variety of sub-goals, writing lyrics, joining the band, and learning to collaborate effectively with Billy. Each of these smaller steps represents different pathways directing her energy toward the ultimate target of creating meaningful music.

Daisy’s reasons for pursuing this goal stem from a deep desire to be authentic and to express herself fully through her art. Anything less makes her feel like a fraud. She also longs to connect with others through her music, and ultimately to belong to something real and meaningful. This yearning for belonging can be traced back to her childhood experiences of abandonment and the emotionally shallow relationships she forms throughout her early career. Her music becomes the outlet through which she processes these unresolved emotions and seeks genuine connection.

Her flow state with Billy most clearly illustrates the depth of her motivational process. When they collaborate, Daisy reveals her vulnerability by sharing painful parts of her past, such as her family’s sudden departure without telling her, and Billy responds with his own story of abandonment. Their shared vulnerability transforms into creative energy, allowing Daisy to refine and edit her lyrics until they perfectly depict her emotional truth. This process not only reveals her intrinsic motivation for authenticity but also fulfills her deeper need for intimacy and understanding. Through Billy, she reconnects to her past and gains a new perspective: that emotional pain, even when ignored, continues to shape her actions and creativity.

From the origins of her career, Daisy has displayed a strong motivational complex grounded in intrinsic value. Music serves as both a coping mechanism and a means of connection, motivations that began in childhood and have endured into adulthood. This intrinsic drive supports a performance mastery approach, setting her apart from others. She is bold, daring, and resilient, unwilling to let fear of failure define her. Her achievement motives align with a success orientation, as her desire for growth and self-expression outweighs any avoidance of failure. However, Daisy also demonstrates low secondary control, as she tends to accept her emotional isolation rather than confront it directly, finding solace only through her music. Her reliance on music as a means to regulate her emotions suggests she places power outside herself, believing her art, rather than her own choices, can fulfill her need for connection and control.

According to the hierarchical ideas of goal complex theory, there are many facets to consider when examining goal setting—particularly what a person is trying to achieve and why they are pursuing that goal, in other words, their direction and energy. Applied to Daisy, this theory helps us understand her persistence in striving for greatness despite the many challenges she faces in the music industry. Her overarching goal seems simple: “to make good records,” as she proclaims in a conversation with Teddy. However, to achieve this, she must complete a variety of sub-goals—writing lyrics, joining the band, and learning to collaborate effectively with Billy. Each of these smaller steps represents different pathways directing her energy toward the ultimate target of creating meaningful music.

Daisy’s reasons for pursuing this goal stem from a deep desire to be authentic and to express herself fully through her art. Anything less makes her feel like a fraud. She also longs to connect with others through her music, to belong to something real and meaningful. This yearning for belonging can be traced back to her childhood experiences of abandonment and the emotionally shallow relationships she forms throughout her early career. Her music becomes the outlet through which she processes these unresolved emotions and seeks genuine connection.

Her flow state with Billy most clearly illustrates the depth of her motivational process. When they collaborate, Daisy reveals her vulnerability by sharing painful parts of her past, with her family’s sudden departure without telling her and Billy responds with his own story of abandonment. Their shared vulnerability transforms into creative energy, allowing Daisy to refine and edit her lyrics until they perfectly depict her emotional truth. This process not only reveals her intrinsic motivation for authenticity but also fulfills her deeper need for intimacy and understanding. Through Billy, she reconnects to her past and gains a new perspective: that emotional pain, even when ignored, continues to shape her actions and creativity.

From the origins of her career, Daisy has displayed a strong motivational complex grounded in intrinsic value. Music serves as both a coping mechanism and a means of connection—motivations that began in childhood and have endured into adulthood. This intrinsic drive supports a performance mastery approach, setting her apart from others. She is bold, daring, and resilient, unwilling to let fear of failure define her. Her achievement motives align with a success orientation, as her desire for growth and self-expression outweighs any avoidance of failure. However, Daisy also demonstrates low secondary control, as she tends to accept her emotional isolation rather than confront it directly, finding solace only through her music. Her reliance on music as a means to regulate her emotions suggests she places power outside herself, which is believing her art, rather than her own choices, can fulfill her need for connection and control.