The prompt for today was actually the word try, but like Yoda I believe,
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
So I’ve replaced it with the word intend.
intend: to have in mind as something to be done or brought about
Compare it with another word you’re probably more familiar with.
goal: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed
I know which appeals to me more, especially after reading 100 Days with No Goals by Joshua Fields Millburn.
Like many, I used to be very goals oriented. I created all kinds of goal tracking worksheets and action plans and produced some great results. I was perhaps a bit driven.
I’m done with that, have been for a long time and wince when I find myself seduced by the lure of goals.
And then I remind myself of the power of intention. . .
“to have in mind as something to be done or brought about.”
My insides relax, my heartbeat slows down and I feel a spaciousness that chasing goals never once produced.
In my reading about goals and intentions I came across the Hawaiian concept of Ho’ohana and I felt a strong connection.
Ho’ohana is about making your living in a world that provides direction and intention while leaving you much more fulfilled than the familiar, goal-obsessed path.
Intentions or Goals?
I know which I’m choosing.
So, back to the prompt and the creation of 2012.
1. Write a book.
I learned how to read at a young age and have read voraciously ever since. It’s time to balance that out with a book of my own. It’s scary to declare publicly, but that’s the best way I know to hold myself accountable. My dream (and yours) deserves that declaration.
2. Celebrate a decade of coaching.
I’ve done a lot in my 10 years of coaching. I’ve sat on boards and organizing committees, run events and volunteered hundreds of hours. I’ve assisted at trainings, mentored new coaches and done whatever I could to further the profession.
This year the International Coach Federation’s (ICF) annual conference will be held in London, England. To be honest, I’m more excited about visiting a good friend there and seeing the city, but why not tack on a conference to celebrate 10+ years of doing this work I love?
3. Take a sabbatical.
Since becoming self-employed, I’ve taken regular vacations yes, and I’ve had a schedule that is way more flexible than your average ‘Joe’ but I’ve yet to take a sabbatical. I’ve been thinking in order to do the amount of writing I want to do I’ll have to do something different, create space. I’m pretty sure my creative muse needs more time to keep her end of the bargain, and squeezing my writing in at night isn’t going to cut it!
When I put my mind to something I usually produce results (remember my goal-driven past?), so I’d probably be able to write the book without taking a sabbatical. But I want to give it my best and I believe that deserves my full attention.
4. Be in the best shape of my life.
Another scary dream to declare, but there it is. I’m not talking about running marathons, bodybuilding or any extreme activities. I’m talking about feeling healthy and strong in my body, able to do what I like including dance the night away. It’s time to honour my body, up level my self-care and take small, consistent actions to forward this intention. This is going to take some doing as 2011 was a year of health challenges.
I’m allowing myself to want and declare it anyway. Too often we let our fears stop us from even acknowledging what we most desire. But really, just between you and me, what do you want?
5. Become a yogini.
Well, ok, maybe not a yogini but a regular practitioner of yoga. Years ago I dabbled in it but never long enough for it to make a difference. And if I’m really going to take on #4 without injury, I think yoga just might be the way to go. I think my inspiring friend Farnoosh Brock will be happy to hear this, as I’m going to continue using the 10 Minute Invigorator to build a strong foundation.
6. Make room for creating.
I’ve worked with thousands of people, mostly one-on-on. I’ve also run groups and facilitated workshops, but mostly I have been happy to connect on an individual basis. But the time has come to package up some of that experience, a) so I can reach more people and b) make time for the writing sabbatical.
My intention is first and foremost to create products that serve and make a difference. I’ve got a lot of ideas, but what would make a difference for you? If you’ve been a client or reader for some time, I’d love to hear from you and I invite you to email me directly or leave a comment below with your suggestions.
I know without a doubt there’ll be days that tempt me to make to-do lists, track goals and beat myself up when I fall off track.
That’s when I’ll be reminding myself to intend. . .
“to have in mind as something to be done or brought about.”
The intentions I’ve shared will take some doing, there’s no getting around that. But holding them in my mind in this new way will inevitably create something new just by virtue of the fact it’s not the ‘same old, same old’ way of doing things.
Over to you:
What intentions are you willing to declare for 2012?
Hint: If they trigger your butterflies you’re probably on the right track!
Tell me in the comments below.
#reverb11 is a prompt driven writing project during the month of December. Its purpose is to inspire reflection and create intention for the coming year.
This was prompted by Day 11 – Intend: What new intentions do you have for 2012?
My intentions are similar to yours. My first intention is to systematize the nuts and bolts of my business so that my marketing flows and requires much less attention. That will free my energy to create more ways of helping people than just 1-on-1, and by the second half of the year, yes, I’d like to be working on a book. Might be a little self-published ebook, but I do have some material I’ve developed that I’d really like to organize and share.
And, like you, I’m going to be treating my body better in 2012. It’s mostly about sleep, but also food and physical activity. I hope to be considerably less intimate with my laptop in the coming year and reinvigorate my lifelong relationship with the outdoors.
As far as goals vs. intentions, I appreciate the difference but still see a need, at times, for action plans. Sometimes resistance causes us not to follow through on our intentions, especially if the intention feels large and overwhelming. Breaking it down into steps with what I call “Soft Deadlines” and approaching it as a delightful journey can make the whole enterprise seem much more manageable.
I’m totally with you, though, on taking joy in your work, allowing for creative detours and serendipity, rather than setting yourself up with lists of shoulds and unrealistic expectations that you feel like you’re conquering rather than savoring.
Creative detours? OMG…I love this idea Sue!
I have witnessed goals inducing stress in my clients (and myself) in the past. Yes, they accomplished, I did too, but with a tight feeling in the shoulders and shallow breath in every step of the journey. The sense of: I will either “reach my goal” or I will dub myself a failure was always lurking somewhere. I started contemplating the fact that there could be a way to change how I thought of goals.
What if, I asked myself, I could walk the journey toward the goal while maintaining the excitement that generated the desire to be/do/have in the first place? In coaching-language, what if I maintained the values -that made the goal so luring and exciting in the first place- all along the way. What if there was no compromise or sacrifice? Turn out those values became a compass whether I’m “on track” or not!
In my mind, intentions and goals are the same. They are both experiences we want to deeply enjoy within. They make us happy perhaps, or even proud. Instead of focusing on the wording, I would rather stick with the question you asked, Sandi: “What do you WANT?”. To me, in this question happiness lies awaiting to be experienced.
Do I need step-by-step action plan for the great desires I want to experience? Oh yes! I usually do, otherwise I get caught in a temporary high of experiencing the joy of doing without showing the results that will maintain this joy on a being level.
Declaring my intentions for 2012: continue my journey toward an elevated health state, mend past relationships that make life sweeter and get out of my “professional shell”
I love the idea that “happiness lies awaiting to be experienced” Maz! I think after so many years of being extremely goal-oriented it helps to think of them as different from intentions. It’s a slippery slope to the “gotta make it happen” energy that used to drive me. So I guess the challenge is holding the context and energy, while taking consistent action. I’m sure it will all unfold as it should 🙂
Okay, I’m doing backflips over your intention #1 of course. And I gasped at intention #4. You inspired me. (See below.) And I just plain loved all of them because they felt so “you.” Here are mine:
1. Stand in my power and play big (see #2-6 below :).
2. Finish writing my book and publish it.
3. Start the next book. Yep, I already know what it’s going to be.
4. Launch my new business. (I am SO excited about it!)
5. Visit Vancouver.
6. Be in the best shape of my life. (I’m going to need it for #1-5!)
Carol, I love your comment that you’ll need to be in the best shape of your life in order to follow through on your intentions. I’m finding self-care much more motivating now that I have a specific place I want to channel all that new-found energy. 🙂 Much more motivating than “I want to lose weight” with no particular purpose to it.
You’re right Sue! That is the best ‘why’ possible!!!
Carol,
You would love my intentions because we’re cosmic twins 🙂
I’ve always wanted a cosmic twin. 🙂
I intend to get comfortable with beneficial routine/ maintenance/ discipline.
I intend to contact a few specific possible outlets for my teaching and/ or writing.
I intend to l
I remember attending my very first coach training, 9 years ago, and the first thing they addressed was goals. I went cold. I put up my hand and said I don’t do goals. The looks on their faces ranged from horrified, to pitying to smug. I explained that in the sales environment I’d come from, I had dispensation from having goals on my board because I worked better that way. But I had to change to fit the coaching system. It held me back for years!
I believe that intention is more powerful and not as binding. It allows for learning and change of direction to something better.
My intentions for 2012 are still being drawn up, I’m savouring the process of basing my intention on what I want to learn, broken down into steps which lead me to this time next year. The butterflies are fluttering 🙂
For as long as I can remember I’ve been goal-oriented so for me this is a big deal! Even though I’d noticed in the past that like you, I did often work better with a less rigid structure. But still I persisted.
No more. I know for some it may be just semantics, but it’s the feeling behind the words and the word goal is past its prime for me!
And hallelujah for those butterflies!
Hi Sandi,
I’m with you in setting Intentions rather than Goals. “Intention” seems to have less pressure; more flow. It feels peaceful and right! Choosing a different word can make all the difference in how you feel about something!
Thanks for reminding me to set my Intentions for 2012! I have a feeling it’s going to be an exciting year! 😉
Lori
It really is about the feeling of the word as both you and Jackie alluded to and an invitation to use whatever works for you! I still love getting things done and producing results, I’m just no longer inspired by setting goals 🙂
You’re right, as i am sure you already know, what you intend to do makes more sense than setting yourself up to fail by sating what you will do. There’s room for improvement in intentions, room to change them if your needs or wants change. Great post.
Jason,
I’m sure you had no idea but you’re feeding my one vice (other than chocolate) by saying “You’re right” 🙂
Sandi, I love this idea of “Ho’ohana” – working with intent and purpose. Thank you for sharing this! I’m glad this idea makes you feel ever so relaxed inside! I wish you well with these beautiful intentions. I’m wrapping my intention in one word: “faith.”
Sandra,
Faith and trust keep coming up for me lately so I’m going to see where they lead.
I saw this prompt and said… no… not this one… as I scouted around the Reverbosphere… the way you morphed it works better for me. I plan to write on this at some point today or tomorrow and then… I’ll let you know how it goes!
Congrats on a decade of coaching. Isn’t it amazing to look back? I’ve been at it since 2000 – incredible!
Thanks Julie! Time flies when you’re having fun, right?
Regarding the prompts, I just figured since they’re all made up anyway I’d tweak them to work for me 😉