“Intention is the starting point of every dream. It is the creative power that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love. Everything that happens in the universe begins with intention.” - Deepak Chopra
At the start of something new, a lot of people set goals, resolutions, and/or make promises to themselves about how it should go or turn out. They all have a place, but using the tool of intention setting is all about how you want to experience life, without the benchmarks.
Goals are about achieving a desired, tangible result. Resolutions are like a promise you make to yourself (80% are broken by February). Setting intentions is more about setting into motion what you want to create or manifest in your life.
Power of Intention:
- When we state what our intentions are, dedicate a little bit of time each day to thinking about our intentions, our minds and bodies start to subconsciously make decisions aligned with our intention, even though we may not even realize it. This is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is how our nervous systems produce and create feelings, thoughts, and behaviors through a process of structural, and therefore functional, change. How? Every time we think a thought and generate a feeling, we install neurological hardware that impacts our well-being in all moments.
- When we choose how we want to move through our days, we are put back into power and control over rewiring ourselves.
Evidence/Theories that Support Intentions
- Positive Psychology and Eudaimonia: Positive psychology, a field pioneered by Martin Seligman, focuses on the study of what makes life worth living. Eudaimonia, or the pursuit of meaningful and purposeful life, is central to this field. Setting intentions that reflect personal values can lead to a sense of eudaimonia.
Research shows that people who engage in activities that align with their core values and sense of purpose experience higher levels of well-being and life satisfaction. This is because these activities provide a deeper sense of fulfillment beyond mere pleasure.
- Self-Determination Theory (SDT): SDT, developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, posits that well-being is enhanced when three basic psychological needs are met: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Setting intentions aligned with personal values supports these needs. Autonomy is supported as individuals feel they are making choices aligned with their true selves. Competence is enhanced when people set and achieve meaningful goals, and relatedness is fostered as intentions often involve contributing to something larger than oneself.