The new year offers a natural moment to set some goals and intentions. "Are goals and intentions the same thing?" If you aren’t sure, you’re not alone; it’s one of the most common questions we get this time of year.
What’s the difference between a goal and an intention?
A goal describes what you want to do in the future. It focuses on external accomplishments and is something you can clearly check off a list: “Go rock climbing” or “Learn to make tiramisu.”
An intention describes how you want to feel. Its focus is internal – on your relationship with yourself. Your intention could be to feel joyful or peaceful.
Unlike your goal, which will be accomplished sometime in the future, your intention is a state of being that can start the moment you decide to make it happen.
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Identifying my intention was a fuzzy process for me until I found a hack to get me there. I’d like to share it with you.
Here’s my intention-setting method:
Step 1: Think of a big goal that you’d like to accomplish this year.
Step 2: Imagine you have just crushed this goal. Knocked it out of the park. You’ve crossed the finish line — how do you feel?
Step 3: Allow the feeling that comes to mind to be your intention. My intention is to be / feel ______.
Bonus step: Turn your intention into an affirmation, and test it out as your mantra for the remainder of the month. I am [insert your intention].
We walked through these steps in our recent Member Gathering, and it was fascinating to see how the process lead each purpose to a different word. If you give it a try, share your intention or affirmation here, I’ve just added mine there as well.
Mike Radparvar
Co-Founder, Holstee & Reflection.app
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