Why You Should be Setting Intentions as Well as Setting Goals

Setting intentions as well as goals…

Welcome to the first post in this four-part series on how to elevate your life! I’m so excited to share this series with you. Nicole’s tips and strategies are simple yet incredibly powerful. Adopt them and you’ll be living your best life before you know it!

This first post is all about why we should be setting intentions as well as setting goals and how they can help us find the motivation and inspiration to achieve our purpose. Let’s dive in!

Are you setting goals or intentions?

I think we all understand the value of setting goals, but I wonder how many of you set intentions? Today I want to share a little on the difference between the two and how setting daily intentions can help you experience more fulfilment and meaning in your life.

The difference between goals and intentions…

In simple terms, goal setting helps you to plan ahead for the future. It helps you gain more clarity on what you want to work towards in life so that you can create a plan to get it done. It’s very impactful!

But just setting goals can have a downside. Too much emphasis on your goals can take you out of the present moment. It can diminish all you have around you by putting an emphasis on what you don’t yet have in your life.

What happens if you set a goal and fail to achieve it?

I don’t want you to stop setting goals when this happens! It’s great to have goals but the real power is what happens in pursuit of a goal. It’s more about the person you become in pursuit of the goal. Yes, you want to achieve your goals, and some you will… but some you will not. And that’s okay!

What’s not okay though is constantly striving for more, feeling as though you never do enough, or like a failure if you miss a goal.

So how can we get ahead of this?!

The way to balance this AND enjoy the progress towards a goal is to set an intention each day.

Setting intentions instead of goals…

Intentions are about who you want to be, what you wish to contribute to the world, and how you choose to touch the lives of others.

Living your intentions allows you to focus on who you are in the moment. To recognize and live your values. To raise your emotional energy. Which in turn raises your physical energy towards your goals. Setting intentions can help you to:

• Intentionally align your actions with your values.
• Stay focused on your true top priorities in life.
• Provide you with a roadmap and reminder for how to live out each day.
• Give you purpose as well as the inspiration and motivation to achieve your purpose. The practice of setting daily intentions is all about making tiny shifts in perspective that can change your life.
• Take your mind off problems and perceived limitations. Instead, it puts your focus on something that will have a positive impact on your life. Clearly stating how you intend to feel today instead of wishing that you felt better puts the power of change in your own hands.

An activity for you to try…

To help you develop this, I have an activity for you. Each morning when you’re having your coffee (or tea), set an intention for how you want to feel or carry yourself that day. Get your mind in the right place for peace, progress, and happiness EACH DAY. Write it down. Keep it at the front of your mind and repeat it to yourself throughout the day.

Not sure what to set for your intention? Try these…

Today I will:

• Be fully present when talking with people.
• Express gratitude each time I sit at a red light.
• Trust in the timing of my life.

Try this simple but effective activity for 21 days and notice a shift in your attitude, energy, and overall approach to life.

Need a little help?

Want help with setting your intentions? Or more tips and habits to help with intentional living? I’m here for you! My Habits for Higher Level Living course walks you through seventeen other daily activities for more energy and fulfilment. Find out more about Habits for Higher Level Living here.

All the love,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole is a certified Life Coach, consultant and your guide to higher-level living. After being diagnosed with cancer three times before the age of 30, she is relentlessly committed to all things wellness, personal growth, and living life on purpose.

She’s living proof that it’s possible to make your dreams a reality and live a happy, prosperous and full life even in the face of relentless adversity. Today, her passion is equipping you to do the same. Find Nicole over at Higher Level Living, on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Develop the habits that elevate you in life with her Higher Level Living course here.

The power of daily intentions…

Thank you so much for this post, Nicole! I can’t wait to start setting daily intentions and discovering the difference it makes to my life. I practice gratitude every day by writing down the three things I’m grateful for before I go to bed but I have a feeling setting intentions each morning is going to take things to a whole new level!

Now it’s your turn!

If you want to stay focused on your top priorities and put the power of change in your own hands, give setting intentions a try like Nicole suggests. Start today and try it for the next three weeks and see how much more progress you make towards accomplishing your goals. And don’t forget to check back and share your progress with us!

And don’t forget to check out the rest of this series on how to elevate your life too. Here are the links:

• 16th August: How to reignite your passion in life.
• 23rd August: How to feel like you have it all together – even when you don’t!
• 30th August: The secret to living your best life.

That’s it for this post! What will you set as your intention today? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time…

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Want to guest post for me just like Nicole?

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