“Dreams and Intentions” are more powerful than Resolutions. They come from the heart and spirit, from your passions… “Desired Achievements” are more meaningful and powerful than Goals…
OK, we’re now well into February, the second month of the year. Have you set your Intentions for 2009?
As you may have already noted, I’m a strong believer in setting your Intentions as a way of driving your goals, or preferably your ‘Desired Achievements’, supported by taking effective Inspired Action (rather than the frivolous, paper-thin, and short-lived New Year Resolutions palaver).
If you’ve already set your Intentions at the end of last year, or in early January, that’s great! You could also use this opportunity to do a quick refresher review from the vantage point of the second month (still early) of the year.
If you haven’t set your Intentions yet, it’s never too late! There’s no time like Right Now to take action and kick-start your new plans so you hit the ground running to achieve greater success in 2009.
Really, any time is a good time to focus on getting clear about your Intentions and setting them in motion.
My intention and purpose is to help you with that.
Let’s make the most of this over the next few days as we progress into February and 2009.
How will you get what you want in 2009? What have you/will you commit to doing differently in 2009 to achieve more success and Abundance in your life?
Here are a few guidelines and tips to follow, reality check questions you can use as criteria, and a Working Sheet process to use – see point 11.
1. Identify and Set Your Intentions
Be very clear and decide what you want and desire. Once you do, with real crystal clarity, you engage your mind and sub-conscious and the Universe can step in to set in motion, draw to you and manifest what you want.
2. Be Very Clear About Your Reasons WHY You Want These Intentions
Your Reasons WHY will keep you on track, give you focus, direction, and the fuel and power to drive through and surmount the obstacles.
Reality Check Questions – Do you have a burning and compelling desire to achieve your Intention? Does this Intention create passion in your heart and soul and a “fire in your belly”?
3. Integrity and Authenticity
Make sure your Intentions are driven by what YOU want and desire and come from a place within you, are about you, right for you, and fulfill your life purpose. Not what other people think or want.
If your Intentions are driven by seeking the approval of others, you’re likely to find ways (subtle and not so subtle) to sabotage yourself, derail and not achieve them. If your Intention is because of someone else on any level, it’s often because it’s a ‘should’ rather than a true desire.
The greatest service you can pay yourself is to be true to YOU by being authentic and in integrity
4. Be Very Specific
Really get into all the details and note them down. Visualize, imagine, and describe how it “feels” to have achieved your Intentions as if Right Now!
5. Get into the ‘Emotion’ of Your Intentions
Get all your senses involved. If you can’t get emotionally excited and energized by what you’re aiming for, it’s highly likely you’ll find a way NOT to achieve your intentions.
By making your Intentions very specific and energized with emotion you create compelling ‘Desired Achievements’ (or goals) to shoot for that propel you towards what you want and equally attracts the desired outcomes to you.
6. Always Dream Big
Big dreams and ideas require you to grow in order to achieve them. You’ll attract the people, resources and opportunities into your life you need to make your Dreams and Intentions manifest.
7. Set Intentions that will Stretch and Grow You
Intentions facilitate your personal growth and the person you become through the process and journey. In many respects they’re a means to an end to your personal development.
What you learn and new skills you acquire propel you further forward. Remember to “push the envelope”. Become a bigger person.
Reality Test Questions – Will this Intention make me stretch, develop and grow? Will it show me how to become a bigger person on the road to achieving it?
8. Realistic and Achievable
Don’t overestimate what you can achieve, otherwise you’ll set yourself up for failure and disappointment.
Conversely, don’t underestimate either. You want to challenge yourself, “push the envelope”, and extend yourself beyond your current limits of innovation and performance.
By setting Intentions that are achievable (not mediocre), you place yourself in Integrity. You experience and savor success and achievement. And success enables and generates further success.
9. Get the Balance Right Between What is Achievable and Stretches You
Don’t set yourself up for failure. Do aim to drive yourself that extra step or steps. When you set Intentions that are achievable but stretch you at the same time, you are also in Integrity.
10. Provide Value and Service to Others
When your Intentions involve service and contributing to others it also accelerates the achievement of your Intentions and goals.
It introduces a “wind at your back factor”. People, opportunities, resources and circumstances naturally appear and are attracted to initiatives and activities that make a difference in people’s lives.
Reality Test Questions – Will achieving this Intention provide value to others? Will it genuinely help me to grow as a person and fulfill my life purpose?
11. Write Down Your Intentions
It’s vitally important to write down your Intentions. If they just remain in your headspace and thoughts, they tend to dissipate, dilute and lose potency and shape.
As Mark Victor Hansen (co-author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series) says – “Don’t just think it, ink it!”
On your computer is absolutely perfectly fine – great in fact!
Also, write down your Reasons WHY you want this specific Intention
. WHY is it so important to have this in your life?
Then underpin and expand on your Intentions with specific Desired Achievements (or goals and objectives), and target timeframes.
Draw up a List of your Intentions under the following headings, or adapt the List to suit your specific needs and preferences.
Business / Career Intentions and Goals
Business Development
Career / Professional Development
Financial Goals
Personal Intentions and Goals
Health and Wellness
Relationship/s
Leisure time
Personal Development
Social Responsibility/Giving Back/
Making a Difference
Under each heading, set 3 to 5 Specific Desired Achievements (or goals) with timeframes.
12. Make your Intentions and and Desired Achievements (or goals) Measurable
What specifically, how much and by when (set a timeline due date). Add them to your Work Sheet.
Reality Test Questions – Does your Intention (and its target date) frighten and excite you simultaneously? Does it “push the envelope”?
13. 21 Days – 90 Days
It takes 21 days to form a new habit – of practicing that new habit every single day. If you miss a day, you have to go back to day 1 and start over again.
It takes 90 days to reinforce that new habit and integrate it into your way of being.
For further information and guidance, refer to two of my articles -
90 Day Action Planning – to Kick Start or Boost Your Business or Personal Project
90 Day Action Planning – Guiding Questions to Help With Your Business, Career, or Personal Life Plans
I also will be covering some further tools to help you implement Your Intention Setting and Achieving process in upcoming blog posts.
Enjoy the process of setting your Intentions for 2009. Make it fun! And, then let’s get on with achieving them and making 2009 your best year to date. Please let me know how you go. I would love to hear from you.
Blessings and Gratitude!
Kathy
Kathy Baker
‘Your Success’ E-Newsletter
ALL Interactive Solutions
http://www.YourSuccessMasteryNow.com
http://www.allinteractivesolutions.com/
PS: Also look out for my new e-book “How To Take Effective Inspired Action and Overcome Procrastination” which will be out very soon. I will let you know when it’s available.
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July 18th, 2009 
Kathy Baker 
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