New Years Resolutions.
Goal setting.
It can all seem pretty overwhelming, right?
Well now is the time to take a step back and really find a way to make all of these things work FOR you rather than stress you out.
If you want to find success this year, you should focus on two things: intentions and goals.
Goals and Intentions – What’s the difference?
INTentions are INTernal while goals are external.
Both are necessary to find the success and freedom you’re looking for, but one should always first start with intentions before focusing on goals. Strengthen yourself on the inside and you’ll find it easier to build stamina on the outside.
When it comes down to it, intentions are a state of constant reflection while goals are a state of conscious planning.
With intentions, you reflect on your feelings in the present moment, encouraging yourself to grow and be more cognizant of your current state; with goals, you’re following a map in the hopes of reaching your end goal.
Along those lines, intentions are basically a pathway to help you achieve your goals. So, for example, telling yourself that you’re going to publish one blog post per week is your goal, learning to better hold yourself accountable to your actions is an intention.
Intentions are typically very broad, again dealing more in the conceptual realm of feelings and living each day as it comes, while goals should always be very specific.
Because of the broad vs precise nature of these things, having good intentions supports you in achieving your goals while having goals with no intentions means lots of pressure and stress from the fear of failure.
How to Set Intentions
To set intentions, you can look to those you idolize – what is it about them that you appreciate? Is it their patience? Their confidence? Their time management skills? Whatever it is, KNOW that you too can be that way by setting intentions and following through with them.
Personally, I’ve struggled with patience. It’s just not a strong characteristic of mine. This year I’m setting the intention of being more patient – not just with my kids or my clients, but with EVERYONE. Yes, even the jerk who cuts me off in traffic.
It won’t be easy, but it’s not supposed to be. Intentions are meant to be work, but in a feel-good, feel-better kind of way.
How To Set Goals
Setting goals comes more from you and your ideals. Where do you want to be 6 months from now? A year from now? Five years from now? What do you have to do to get there?
For example, if you want to be averaging $5k/month two years from now, what actions do you need to take to get there? Again, be VERY specific and write out those steps. Each one of those is a goal and requires you to take action.
All in all, intentions are a state of being while goals are a state of doing.
What will you be working on this year? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party?
Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.
Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts.
Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!
