Intentions are like seeds. When planted consciously, they set the direction for your growth and experiences throughout your life.
Intentions are different than goals. Setting an intention is more about the journey, your mindset, and your attitude. Intentions help you achieve your goals, but they go deeper than an endpoint.
Intentions reflect your values and define how you approach life. They shape how you interact with the world around you. A purposely set intention is a step toward becoming the person you aspire to be, regardless of the obstacles you encounter.
Here’s an example.
-> My goal: I want to buy a new house this year.
-> My intention: To create stability and security in my life, which a new home represents. This intention influences not only my actions toward purchasing a house but also my daily decisions, like saving more money, improving my credit score, and researching a neighborhood that aligns with my vision of a stable, secure life.
By focusing on the intention behind the goal, you connect every small action to a larger, personal context, making the journey towards this goal more fulfilling and aligned with who you are.
Still with me?
Don’t worry if this feels overwhelming. It is absolutely a mind shift. But that’s why you’re here, right? 🙂
Setting intentions might feel like work at first. But it’s work worth the effort.
Let’s try…
Action Step:
- Reflect On Your Values: What are the core values you want to project to the world? Is it loyalty? Is it that you can always be counted on? Knowing your values is the bedrock of your identity. Your values are the silent force behind every action and reaction, even during tough times. They define who you are and the principles you live by.
- Identify What Matters Most: What’s important to you? For example, people often say they want more money. But why? It’s not the money people want, but what the money can do. Is it for security, or to not worry about bills so you can spend more time with family? Ask yourself why you want what you want. There’s always a deeper, less superficial reason we want what we do.
- Set Your Intention: Be specific and make it measurable. Your intention should be clear and concise. Don’t just say I want to be happy. Say “I practice gratitude in my life.” Always make sure your intention is specific and that it aligns with your values and your why. Always frame your intention in the present tense in a positive light. Not I will be happy. You are happy. Your brain is a computer and it can be reprogrammed with the right prompts.
- Plan Small Actions: Break down your intention into actionable steps. If your intention is to spend more time with family, set some time aside for a family dinner. If yo
- ur intention is professional development, set some time aside to read that book that’s been collecting dust. Big things happen in small steps.
- Reflect and Adjust: At the end of each week set aside some time to evaluate your progress. Ask yourself if your daily actions have been in line with your intention. If you haven’t been living by your intention, that’s ok! Don’t beat yourself up about it. Just identify what got in your way, adjust, and keep rolling.
Setting intentions is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice. But I’m telling you, once you get it down, your life will change.
