Fictional Finalism
Fictional Finalism is a psychological term used to describe an internally held idealistic belief about the future. For instance, we all experience fictional finalism concerning the lottery: “if only I could win the lottery, I would be so set, financially.” Fictional finalism may be experienced in any aspect of life that hinders one from absolute happiness. It is the belief that ones life would be fictionally perfect if only: I had a nose job, I were thinner, I could find a loving partner, etc… when in reality life simply continues once these goals are met; but we do not see things that way.
The belief that human beings are more strongly motivated by the goals and ideals that they create for themselves and more influenced by future possibilities, than by past events such as childhood experiences.
