When you relentlessly think and ponder on things that you wish to achieve in life, it helps you to reach your goals. You can achieve what you have wished for. Your mindset reminds you of the life that you desired. Thus, this article aims at understanding how to set intentions and bring a positive life change.
At times, this life-changing practice requires a lot of hard work and dedication. You need to be focused on your desires and wishes.
Intentions are a powerful tool that helps you to understand your thoughts and feelings in a better way.
Intentions are related to setting goals. It is needed to get things done in systematic ways. You can create your own reality; if your vision and perspective are clear and strong enough.
Your inner strength and determination are vital to creating intentions that can become a lifelong achievement.
What is the Intention?
As Jennifer Williamson rightly said, “Intention is more than wishful thinking. It’s a willful direction”. An intention is something that you aim to achieve. It is a plan or objective that guides your action and helps you to achieve goals.
They are a mere plan of actions, coupled with the determination to act in a specific way. Intentions determine the purpose and attitude to do something to achieve your desired results.
What Does “Setting Intention” Mean?
SUMMARY
Setting an intention is all about drawing a road map to follow your dreams and pursue your goals. It is a force that motivates you to implement actions and achieve results.
“How to set intentions” refers to guiding rules that pave the way to success. It is a way to synchronize your mind and heart into something that you wish to fulfill. It is a conscious practice that determines dreams and goals.
You harness the incredible strength of your intention to grow and evolve as a fulfilled being. Setting intentions provide you with insight and wisdom to build a life of your choice. The incredible power of intentions makes you believe that you can achieve whatever you want.
Importance of Setting Intentions
Setting intentions allows you to be on a purpose and mission. It is a path that you need to follow through guided action to achieve what you have wished for.
When you set an intention, you become clear of your aim. It sets an understanding tone that accomplishes your progress. The importance of setting intentions is
- Intentions provide you with a specific guideline to set your priorities in life.
- It helps you to put a guided effort towards achieving a goal.
- You learn to use your time and resources judiciously to manifest your dream.
- Setting intentions helps to stay focused and committed to your actions.
- A constant reminder to pursue the things you have wished for comes from intention setting.
- Intentions allow you to be present, thus it raises the physical and mental energy needed to fulfill your goals.
- You know your purpose in life and can get inspired to achieve it.
- It is the source of all inspiration and motivation that you may need to achieve success.
- It allows you to perceive things from new perspectives that you may have otherwise missed.
- Intentions set the course of action and determine the direction that leads to the accomplishment of goals.
What is Daily Intention Practice?
SUMMARY
A daily intention is an aim or plan of action that you set for a particular day.
A daily practice of setting an intention is your conscious effort to make things happen on a particular day. It can be related to productivity, fitness regime, new financial ventures, spending quality time with family, and many more. It determines your daily routine that can bring desired changes in your life.
A daily intention practice induces focus on specific activities that you would like to achieve. When you set a day to day plan to accomplish goals, it is easier to follow them. It gives you the joy and passion to work hard.
Daily intention teaches gratitude about the positive things that need to be recognized. You can start by making one intention each day and later add on to the list. It gives you the motivation to follow it happily.
Daily intention can be set as an alarm reminder, a post-it note, or a Smartphone notification. You are constantly reminded of the things that you need to do to achieve your goals.
Setting Intentions for The Day (8 Ways To Do It)
It is a good idea to set daily intentions rather than a weekly or a monthly one. It is a systematic way to achieve long term goals. Setting daily intentions help to review your small achievements. It reminds you of your strengths and weaknesses. There are some ways to set daily intentions.
- Be comfortable and sit in a quiet place, when your mind is calm and the body is relaxed.
- Write down your intention in the present tense for the day in a journal or notepad. You may use short words or phrases to write crisp intentions.
- Sit and contemplate your thoughts. Ask yourself some pertinent questions such as “What are the things you intend to achieve in a day?” Intentions are based on values. So, be positive and write affirmative thoughts only.
- Make a list of few or many things that you want for yourself.
- Initially, it is advisable to have only 3 to 5 intentions for a day. You can add on to the list, once you start achieving your goals.
- Once intentions are set, keep the list somewhere in the house where you can see them easily.
- At the end of the day, reflect and mark those intentions that you have achieved for the day.
- Do not press yourself, if anyone of the intentions was not met on that day. Be gentle and try this one the next day. Intentions are persuasions that make you a positive person.
How to Set Intentions?
Every day is a new opportunity for you to manifest your dreams. There are ways to set intentions that take you closer to your goals.
1. Create a positive outlook
The first step is to create a positive outlook on what you intend to achieve. A positive mind is open and more adaptable to changes. It helps you to set intentions that are creative, optimistic, and achievable. You think and align your thoughts, feelings, and actions toward a successful accomplishment.
2. Decide on your Intentions
Spend time with yourself to determine what you want. If they matter to you, you will follow them. You can make a daily intention, or weekly, or even monthly. The choice depends on your goal and priorities in life. It is also important to create short and precise intentions.
To the point, intentions are easy to follow. It doesn’t lose its importance and you feel interested in achieving your goal. Intentions should lead to meaningful actions. State your intentions as actively as possible. If you say you will ‘try’, then it might never happen.
Act on your intentions to make things happen. For example, “I shall try to be a good listener in my economics class”. You should say “I am going to be an active listener today in my economics class”. Be more active in your sayings and actions.
It is a constant reminder that keeps you motivated and focused. Every day, say aloud to yourself what your intentions are. Be firm and say it with conviction. It can be a mantra, or a few positive sentences about your wishes and wants.
This verbal sharing with oneself acts as a positive reminder that tunes your thoughts and actions in inappropriate ways. You stay mentally alert and intention becomes the center of your attention.
You can even share your intentions with family and friends. This motivates you to work hard and keep up to your expectations. Their constant encouragement will help you to be focused. Your accountability will improve. Friends and family act as a support system that will guide you in the right direction.
5. Practice intention setting
We all vary in our intentions. This setting depends on your priorities, your resources in terms of effort, time, and money. Intention practice is about setting the timeout to evaluate what you want? And why do you want it? This process is self-reflection, as it results in the tuning of your thoughts with the reality you wish to have.
If you consciously practice creating and following intentions, success will be yours, whatever problems come in the way.
6. Keep checking your intentions
There is no point in setting an intention and forgetting it later on. You need to check and review your progress at regular intervals, maybe a few times a week.
There is a need to reflect on those things that are not met or followed. A review helps you know your position. It also reflects your setbacks and areas of resistance.
7. Create an intention ritual every day
Every day is a new beginning for you to do something new and innovative. Thus, create a ritual and follow it daily. Example – you can start your day by being grateful to your spouse for all the support he has given you.
Practice this thankfulness every day, just as a daily ritual. You can make an intention journal and follow it every day.
8. Remain Focused
After you have written your intentions, it’s time to follow it. Intentions come into full power when you are happy and content about it. If your intentions are based on need or lack of something, it brings in a negative outlook.
Do not let others set intentions for you. Never get bothered about others’ criticism. It’s your life and your intentions. Thus, remain focused and give your best into it.
9. Consider your feelings
The process of setting intentions should make you feel happy and content. You should feel good and it will make your dreams feel real and probable.
10. Remain accountable
It means to take personal responsibility for the failure or success of your intentions. You should remain positive if things do not work out properly. Put in more hard work to get things done.
You should remain accountable for your actions. Intention setting will be successful, if you know your vulnerabilities and work on it.
Setting Intentions Examples
Intention setting helps to create your best self. Some examples of intention that you may set for yourself are
- “I intend to love unconditionally.”
- “My intention is to be more grateful for all the things I have.”
- “I intend to forgive others easily.”
- “I should become more mindful in my daily life.”
- “My intention is not to become angry over trivial things.”
- “I would love to start my day with a smile.”
- “My intention is to respond rather than react to situations.”
- “I wish to lead my children with good examples.
- “I intend to make others happy around me.”
- “My intention is to create healthy food habits for myself.”
The link given below shows how to set powerful intentions
Concept of Positive Intentions
A positive intention is an affirmative statement that you make to yourself. It is a way to create and reflect whatever good things you wish to achieve in your life. Positive intentions are tools that tune your thoughts, feelings, and actions in favorable ways. You can set a proper mood for positive thinking and progressive learning.
Positive intentions are optimistic plans that lead to dedicated commitments and actions. You can develop a mindset that is nurturing and helps achieve goals. You become constructive and encouraging in your approach if you set positive intentions.
Advantages of Setting Positive Intentions
The merits of positive intentions are as follows
- A positive intent gives you self-confidence and develops self-trust. You become aware of your strengths and shortcomings.
- Positive intentions help in developing good leadership skills.
- You can collaborate and get more vital projects if you hold a positive intent.
- It helps in better communication and negotiation of business projects.
- Positive intentions open the door to new opportunities for personal growth and development.
Difference Between Intentions and Goals
The two terms ‘Intentions’ and ‘Goals’ are often used synonymously, but they do have subtle differences. Let’s see how
| Intentions | Goals |
| The intention is the course of action to reach goals | The goal is a destination. |
| Intentions are plans made for the present | These are convictions about the future. |
| This is an internal process that refers to your relationship with ‘self’. | Goals are external achievements that one wishes to accomplish. |
| Intentions are how you wish to become in life. | A goal is what you want to do in life. |
| These are based on values and beliefs. It is the way of showing up to the world. | Goals are based on a fixed outcome. |
| The intention is a mindset that leads to achieving a goal. It is not measured, rather pursued. | Goals are measured and evaluated. |
| It is intangible and helps to align ourselves in a specific direction. It may or may not have a definite end. | These are tangible with clearly defined ends. |
What is Intention Meditation?
In Sanskrit, the term intention meditation is known as “Sankalp”. It is where you focus your thoughts and feelings on achieving a specific goal. Intention meditation is a powerful way to manifest your desires and dreams. You should do the intention meditation in a state of absolute peace and calm.
In this process, you become mindful of your inner world that is ever powerful and can bring positive changes in your life.
It leads you towards self-fulfillment. It directs you towards a goal, where you want to go through yoga and meditation practice.
When you focus your thoughts on a specific intention during meditation, you bring it into your realm of conscious awareness. You firmly believe your intentions, thus allow it to become real.
This mindfulness process delves deep into your inner processes. You sit comfortably, take deep breaths and bring the intention to the forefront. Plant the seed of your intention firmly during meditation. Think and nurture it with positivity and dedication.
It is better to set positive and short term intentions, to fulfill it during a course of your meditation practice. Intention meditation is a self-connective journey to realize your dream life.
10 Benefits of Setting Intentions
The key benefits of setting intentions are
- It improves your work effectiveness.
- Intentions guide you through obstacles and hassles and help to get things done.
- Setting intentions keep you focused and dedicated towards action.
- It improves self-confidence.
- You become mindful and immersed in present moments.
- Setting intentions gives you a visual reminder of your wishes and goals.
- It gives you a purpose in life and helps to clarify your priorities.
- You become committed and inclined towards your goal.
- A thoughtful intention is a key to success and accomplishment.
- Intention setting increases your will power, self-discipline, and a positive perspective that supports goal accomplishment.
“Every intention is a trigger for transformation.”
Deepak Chopra
Closing Thoughts
The parting lines state that setting positive intentions can define achievable goals. It is a constructive way to articulate positive affirmations in life. Intentions are transformative game plans that align your body, mind, and soul to realize your wants and wishes.
