If you have found yourself here, it’s likely the beginning of something new for you (the year, a new job, a life transition, etc.) and therefore you might have some expectations, spoken and unspoken, about this change, how you want to approach it, and your outlook on what’s to come. It is your brain’s natural function to figure out how to improve, so that you can meet new challenges and milestones. That intrinsic motivation is important. Rather than solely focusing on goals and aims of this chapter, start by exploring your intention behind it all.
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.
To move forward we have to reflect on where we’ve been, we have to actively choose:
Now it’s time to start thinking about moving forward.
It’s time to start narrowing down all these thoughts into one word for your intention. Remember: Intentions are how you show up in pursuit of that goal – they are about your relationship with yourself and others.
Take time each day to connect with your intention, and think about how you’ll embody your intention that day, or reflect on how you did body your intention that day. Actively make note of it. Use your intention as a litmus test, a filter - will doing XYZ get me closer to my intention?
Goal setting- Goal setting is all about figuring out what you want to achieve and making a plan to get there. It's about setting clear, realistic goals that you can measure and giving yourself a timeline to complete them. This process helps you stay motivated and focused, making it easier to prioritize tasks and track your progress until you reach your goals.
SMART Goals are those that are measurable, achievable, important, and time-bound. Why is this important?
When you feel stuck or out of ideas, progress towards your goal(s) can plummet. That’s why it is so important to know and utilize a couple of strategies that work for you. Having a set of reliable strategies, you can better navigate the inevitable ups and downs or trying to reach a goal. Here are some ideas to kickstart you momentum has slowed to a halt.
Most importantly, just show up. In the beginning, the single more important thing is showing up; it is even more important than succeeding. Because if you don’t show up, there is nothing to measure, there is nowhere to go, there is nothing to work towards. Recognize your effort to show up. One of the most motivating things that you can experience is evidence of your progress.