Goals with intention (GWI)
Goals motivate us, provide structure, and lend meaning and purpose to our life. However, when paired with intention, GWI (goals with intention) we get the best of both worlds. GWI’s propel us toward our future self while keeping us firmly planted in our present self. This way life does not pass us by while we are planning for the future.
We tend to stick with long-term goals, one study finds, when future rewards are balanced with immediate rewards. Those rewards tend to be more experiential in nature. They are about process rather than results. For example, a long-term goal might be to obtain additional credentials for our area of expertise. An immediate reward would be the pleasure and excitement of learning something new.
Focusing on the process and on small daily intentions helps us avoid getting overwhelmed by ambitious long-term goals. We know our GWI’s are there, but we organize our days around gradual, incremental steps and learn to enjoy the journey without getting too anxious about the destination.
Let heart and mind work together
Thinking about GWI is not just about establishing a balance between future and present, but also between heart and mind as well.
Since goals exist in the future and are on some level an abstraction, they are more a product of the mind. Intentions, rooted in our immediate experience of the present, tend to come from the heart. Why should we limit ourselves to mind-based goals or heart-centered intentions when we can have both? If we develop a regular practice of setting mindful daily intentions, we can encourage our heart and mind to work in concert with one another as we move toward truly fulfilling our highest potential.
Staying on track
Focusing on gradual, incremental steps works—but only if we stay on course. For most of us, doing so alone is unsustainable. We can set ourselves up for success by seeking out the support and accountability that can help us avoid faltering along the way.
Sharing a GWI with a colleague or confidante can be helpful. When you declare your goal to someone, you ensure they will be there to inquire about your progress, and to celebrate your wins along the way. You can further formalize that informal accountability by joining a group whose members can help keep one another on track.
Hiring a coach is another way to inject structure, support, and accountability into your daily routine. Whatever strategy you adopt, set yourself up for success by steering clear of the trappings of the standard New Year’s resolutions. Stay grounded in the present, and in the process, by balancing long-term goals with daily intentions.
We are all drawn by the promise of a fresh start the new year seems to offer. Goals with intention is a more holistic and sustainable way to embrace that opportunity.
Title of article -New Years Resolution Don’t last, Do This Instead
Naz BeheshtiContributor
Forbeswomen
