So what is the difference between setting intentions and goals? In fact, I’m going to take you through a 3 step process. We’re going to set an intention, then a goal, then an action – and by the end you’ll be clear about the differences between them.
So my first questions to you is; what do you want in 2021? How do you want to feel and what do you want to achieve in 2021?
Let’s set some intentions!
Ok, so intentions are really those overriding things that we want in our lives. Those wants and feelings.
We can set an intention for how to want to feel for the next hour, day, week, month, the next 90 days, or for the year. Let’s think about those intentions we want for the coming year.
You could have an intention for:
Better health
To earn more money in my business
To be a calmer mother
To feel vibrant / joyful / excited
To feel more connected to other entrepreneurs
To buy a new car
Now these intentions while great, don’t really go any further. What does it really mean to have better health, or earn more money? And that’s where setting goals come in.
Setting Goals
Goals are the results you’re looking for. They are measurable. You’re going to now when you’ve reached them. You want to make that intention more specific. So you’re really clear about what you’re going for.
So your intentions might turn into the following:
I want better health – to lose 1 stone within 6 months
I want to earn more money in my business – to earn £5k a month by June
I will be a calmer mother – to not shout at all
To feel vibrant / joyful / excited – to wake up refreshed 6 out of 7 days
To feel more connected to other entrepreneurs – to connect with 2 new business owners a month
To buy a new car – by July 2021
Perfect. Now those intentions, have measurable goals next to them. The goals give us a clear aim. But how? And that’s where the actions come in.
Creating actions
I want better health – to lose 1 stone – to go for a 30 minute run at 1 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
I want to earn more money in my business – to earn £5k a month – to grow my visibility on social media by posting at 1 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
I will be a calmer mother – to not shout – to get 30 minutes to myself each morning at 7 am before everyone wakes up to drink a cup of tea and write in my morning pages
To feel vibrant / joyful / excited – to wake up refreshed – to create a bedtime ritual, tv off at 10 pm, mobile left downstairs, shower before bed, then 30 minutes of reading, lights off at 11 pm
To feel more connected to entrepreneurs – to connect with 2 new business owners a month – to attend x monthly networking events, and check newsfeed in the group for 5 minutes each morning
To buy a new car – by July 2021 – to set up an automatic savings account of £500 a month
And can you see the actions are super specific. Map out what days, what times. The more specific you get the better!
So now we have a plan of action to meet those goals, that help us with our initial intentions! We’re cooking with gas!
Making progress
One of the cornerstones of habit creation is to focus on the first part of the task. So for example, if you want to run, make putting on your running shoes the action. Once you’ve got your running shoes on you’re obviously going for a run.
I’m also a big fan of 90-day planning. What can you achieve in the next 90 days? Break down the task, so you have a set of small actions that will help you complete your goals. Map them out, post its help! And then assign your tasks within your 90 days. Make time to get them done AND Pop them in your diary.
And there we go – literally a blueprint to getting stuff done!
Pow! Want to learn how to work smarter in your business?
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash