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Setting Intentions
How often do we come out of an experience wishing we could have a do-over, wishing we could go back and change how we acted, how we handled a situation, or how we reacted to it? How often do we find ourselves wondering where things went wrong? Or how we didn't catch a problem sooner?
We obviously won't always have things go as we hope in life or according to our plans, but what if I told you there is a simple act that can make a big difference? This simple act can improve our chances of achieving our goals and living our desired experiences. It's called setting intentions.
So, what does it mean to set our intentions?
Setting intentions is an act to pause before we embark on an experience, to take a minute and connect with our internal self, to become more present, connect with our values and who we are. Check-in and ask ourselves why it's important for us to do what we are about to do, ask what we want to get from this experience, and how we want to be in it. And then walk into our experience with more clarity, confidence, awareness, and intent. Setting our intentions is deciding how we intend to feel, behave, and be.
When we set our intention before jumping into any experience, we become more purposeful in our behavior and more responsive in our actions rather than reactive to the different situations that come up. Instead of having a "go with the flow" attitude, we become more confident and clear with our choices and actions. Even when things don't go our way, we can recognize what works and what doesn't more clearly, which ultimately helps us notice what we can improve and do differently.
Let's give it a try
Think about a new project in your life or a situation where you are about to start something new. Think how much difference it will make for you if you take the time to set your intentions before you begin this new journey. How would you like the next chapter to be for you? How would you like to behave and feel during that experience? Think about the attitude you want to have going into it. What would help you achieve your desired outcome and have the experience you hope for? Asking these questions will help you decide the kind of energy and attitude you will walk into this experience with.
Imagine another situation where you are about to step into a meeting, an event, or a family dinner, and right before you walk in, you decide to take a few minutes to anchor yourself. You use the time to connect with what's important to you, your values, and your goals, and with that in mind, you choose the attitude you want to have as you walk into that gathering. Think of the difference this will make in your conversations and interactions and how much more authentic, rich, and fruitful your experience could be.
Furthermore, when we develop a habit of setting daily intentions, we help ourselves make the most of every day. This becomes a simple yet valuable reminder to start our day with purpose and choose the attitude that will help us make the most of our time.
How Setting Intentions helps us reach our goals
We are all familiar with how important it is to set goals in life, both in our personal and professional life. We often get stuck; we set a goal and decide on the steps and actions that will help us achieve the goal, yet we don't follow through.
One way we can help improve our chances of achieving our goals is through accountability by sharing our goals with someone. They then work with us to hold us accountable to attain this goal, and they do this by checking in regularly and getting updates on how we are progressing with our plan.
Another way to increase our chances of reaching our goals is by setting intentions. While setting our goals is a tool focused on the desired results, setting intentions is focused on the journey, the feelings, and the attitude. It creates the drive, motivation, and energy behind the actions that will help us achieve our goals. Setting intentions grounds us and brings us back to the present moment instead of the future, which usually happens when we focus too much on our goals. Being too focused on the end goal and the future can become discouraging for many people, which is why they end up getting stuck or giving up. As we work hard to set our goals and build our action plans, developing a habit of setting our intentions as well is highly beneficial. That way, we have a much better chance not only to achieve our desired result but also to ensure that we create the desired experience and journey along the way and stay focused, present, and motivated.
I'd like to invite you to take some time to reflect on how you can become more intentional in your actions and experiences and what a daily habit of setting intentions would look like for you. Give it a try, and see how these few minutes every morning or that simple pause before walking into a meeting can make a difference for you.
Sincerely,
Rasha Afifi-Talleh
Executive Coach
ACC, CPCC, ORSC
