Do you set goals? Goal setting is great for helping you to identify and focus on what you want to achieve.
What success looks like is different for everyone and setting goals helps you to see and then make a plan of action towards achieving your goals. In the workplace setting S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timely) goals is a system that is often used.
Whether your goal is completing a project at work, getting the children to school on time every day, reading a book a month, reconnecting with an old hobby or being more active, using the S.M.A.R.T. system works really well and will help you to track your progress as well as keeping you on track.
Benefits of goal setting
There are many benefits of setting goals but here are 5 worth exploring:
- They help you to assess and get clear on what you want and also what you don’t want.
- They help you with direction and provide a focused way of working.
- When you feel challenged to do them, they can provide inspiration, motivation, and a sense of achievement when they’re done.
- They can promote a can-do attitude and help you to overcome obstacles.
- When you have a large project, setting small goals within it will motivate you and help you prioritise each stage to get the job done.
Although I know it’s good practice to set goals to help you achieve your desired outcome, I’ve always struggled with setting them. Mainly because when I worked in the corporate world, I found them too rigid and the rebel in me didn’t always want to conform. I could achieve so much more when I was given a little more freedom and flexibility.
However, everything changed for me when I added a sprinkling of intentions on top of my goals!
Where do intentions come in?
According to the Collins Dictionary …
An intention is an idea or plan of what you are going to do.
This is very similar to the definition of goal setting, but I find that intentions add a level of emotional softness. Intentions are linked to how you want to feel when you’ve achieved something. Working with intentions will help you to recognise your values and what really matters to you.
When intentions are set on a daily basis, they will help you to: –
- Be in the present moment
- Be more mindful of the actions you take
- Remain centred
- Stay motivated and positive
- Promote feelings of gratitude
Adding feelings to any goal you set will help you to stay positive if your enthusiasm begins to waver.
When and how to use intentions
Once you’ve decided on a goal you want to achieve, your next step is to make a plan of action. Adding a daily intentional affirmation will help you to achieve each step along the way.
For example, you’ve decided that you have a long-term goal which is to improve your fitness in 90 days. You have a strong reason for setting this goal and you’ve made a plan of action that will help you to achieve it. Your plan includes such things as what exercises you will do, when you’re going to do them, what foods you will eat, how you’re going to monitor your progress etc. When your spirit wavers and you find achieving this goal challenging, having intentions is a great tool to help you become mindful of why you started, how far you have come, and how you will feel when you have achieved your goal.
Here are some intentions for this situation:
- Today I intend to complete my 20th day of yoga as I always feel peaceful after a session.
- Every day with every exercise session I am getting fitter and stronger, and I know my energy levels are increasing which makes me feel great.
- My intention for today is to complete my 5k run as it takes me closer to my target for this week and it helps me to mentally relax after a long day.
Another great way to use intentions is when you are preparing for what could be a difficult conversation with a family member, a colleague, or a friend. Include in your preparation an intentional affirmation to achieving a positive outcome for everyone.
Daily intentions
Statistics say that you are 42% more likely to achieve a goal if you write it down and the same can be said of intentions. A daily intention linked to your morning routine will help you to start your day on a positive note which in turn, will help you to enjoy the journey towards achieving your goals. If goal setting is a step too far for you, that’s OK. Get yourself a journal and start writing down your daily intentions.
These will represent how you want to feel by the end of the day. Writing them down in your journal will help you to be mindful of the actions you take during the day that help you to achieve your desired feelings. At the end of the day take a look at the intentions you wrote that morning. Use your journal again to record how you got on, what you did to help you achieve your intentions for that day and if there is anything you would do differently if you chose the same intentions again.
If setting daily intentions to help you create clarity, focus and direction around a current situation is something you think will help you to move forward with your current situation, and you need some help with this, book a Clarity Hour and let me help you to get you closer to achieving your desired outcome.
About Sharon
Sharon lives with her partner, Geoff, in Warwickshire and they have two adult children. She worked for over 25 years in an office environment, gaining qualifications to degree level in finance, business and management. While there Sharon witnessed and experienced many stressful situations and suffered illnesses that were stress-related.
Sharon was advised to make some changes to her lifestyle which included trying complementary therapies. After experiencing the benefits of complementary treatments, Sharon decided to retrain and share her knowledge and experiences to help others recognise and manage their own physical and emotional stress and anxiety levels.
Sharon has been working as a complementary therapist for over 15 years, and she loves helping people manage and reduce their stress levels, to feel uplifted, focused, positive and empowered about their lives.
