Choosing life goals: a phenomenological study

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover the meaning of the lived experience of choosing life goals. Seven married women, nurse administrators between the ages of 27-37, employed in middle management positions in two large metropolitan hospitals, were asked to provide a written description of a situation in which they found themselves choosing life goals. Giorgi's (1975) qualitative method of phenomenology was used to analyze the written descriptions. The major finding of this study was choosing life goals is struggling to fulfill competing ambitions while experiencing paradoxical feelings of calmness-turmoil, success-defeat, and security-insecurity in the process of affirming cherished beliefs. Findings from this study support the value of the phenomenological method for nursing research and enhance the knowledge base of nursing by expanding Parse's theory of human becoming. Findings reveal the importance of understanding more fully the processes of choosing life goals and how choices reflect health.