How to set intentions instead of goal setting

Never set goals again. Do this instead!

Did you already guess what the title is implying? Please let me know, because if so, you deserve a cookie. Now I'm hungry. Anywho...

I'm here to break some news. That's right folks, we're breaking the internet today. Because you're about to hear how the top 1% of the 1% lead their lives. Those abundant lives we all love to envy and kill ourselves researching (aka stalkinggg) how they do it. Well my sweet friend, I've got the goods.

Stop planning so many damn goals for yourself.

Yup, that's it. #isaidwhatisaid

The life you're clamoring over trying to meticulously manifest out of thin air is not soulfully fulfilling now is it, especially when it involves chasing "success" as the top most priority. Not to mention, goals are meant to be counted, calculated, and measured 'till the cows come home. Goals are targets with focal points that range from small to annoyingly tiny.

Intentions, on the other hand, are delicious flexible sexy alluring self-fulling prophecies that are oh so kind to our sanity.

But Letitia, what the actual fuck is an intention, like really?

Glad you asked sailor.

Here's what I mean by intention:

An intention is how we DECIDE to show up and exist in the world. Our world. How we choose to be, no matter what energies we can't control are creeping their way into our force field. Think of it as the tone by which you'll embody your days and your moments. It's ultimately how you're choosing to approach life on a day to day basis.

Let's put it this way babe, it's gonna be all about who you want to BE (intention setting) instead of the eternal disappointment-inducing what we want to do (goal setting). And you'll find freedom, liberation, and playful ease in this. You can't control everything in life, like getting laid off and being forced into starting a business way sooner than you're ready, or control having a husband who mentally abandons you during your lowest points, or even what the weather might be tomorrow! But you can show up for yourself and the people around you as the woman who intends to be prepared for unexpected challenges by meeting them with a light spirit and curiosity. You can be the woman who finds inner strength while also valuing a social support system because she sets an intention to never become co-dependent. And well, you can make sure to always leave the house with an umbrella. That's just street smarts!

Notice that those intentions will ironically make you feel more in control, even when you aren't (since no human ever is) and leave you feeling more capable, fulfilled, independent, and accomplished since you can wake up and be whoever you want to be in any situation. You can't, however, slam dunk on a goal of getting a promotion if you end up getting fired tomorrow.

Here’s the difference between goals and intention:

Goals are fickle and wild and can be entirely out of your control.

There’s a sense of attachment there — of grasping. Goals may change. Your goals may, in fact, be at the whim of some other force. You can hustle all you want, and be disciplined all you want. You may meet your goals.

Or not. Impermanence is real. Life may have other plans. Your goals may not come to be, either because you change or life does. Which is okay.

The practice of intention setting guides almost everything I've done to reach the levels of success and world domination that I have so far. There is simplicity, ease, and beauty in it.

Don't get me wrong...I do set macro goals every once in a while. Destinations I crave traveling to, financial growth I love fantasizing about, or that pesky 15 pounds I can't wait to lose. Forever and always. But my true miraculous manifestations are found as the result of my intentions.

The power of intention has the ability to transform your life for the better. Without it, you may feel like you lack direction and get bored easily, all the while living an unfulfilled existence.

When you set an intention, it gives you a purpose.

Think about how driven and fulfilled you've felt in the past when you've had a purpose. Alternatively, think about a day in your life where you needed to accomplish something but you lacked purpose. There is likely a remarkable difference between what you achieved and how you felt about your achievement!

You can set an intention for anything in life. You can get out of bed and be abstract and say that you "intend" to have a great day. You can also be specific and list out the things that you intend to accomplish.

For example, if you practice yoga in the afternoon, set an intention for your practice. Say that with every breath you exhale, you are releasing negative energy, while you inhale positivity. In the end, you're not only relaxed, but also rejuvenated.

What Are The Secrets?

There are ways that you can bring out your intentions to make your planning easier and your quest for your goals more fruitful.

Try the following activities:

Take your dreams seriously. Don't allow yourself to push your dreams away. They're not meant to remain fantasies forever; you need to bring them into reality! When you take your dreams seriously, you turn into plans and intentions. When you intend to do something, it becomes real and brings your dreams to life.
Gain clarity. Do whatever is within your power to clarify your dreams and intentions. You can do this by simply brainstorming and sorting out your thoughts. *Keep a journal and get into the habit of writing everything down. Writing down your intentions is psychologically powerful. Post your ultimate dream or intention somewhere where you'll see it every day.
Declare your intentions. Make your intentions known to the world so you'll be held accountable for them. You might think that keeping them inside your chaotic head is better than nothing because then no one will know if you fail, but in that scenario, you've given up and failed yourself. *Tell your friends and family of your intentions and keep them up to date on your progress. *Alternatively, keep an online blog or social account for sharing your intentions.
Take action every day. Whether your intentions are large or small, do something every day that's a step forward toward your intentions. Even if your step for the day is a very small one, it's a positive progress that'll add up to something big over time.
Keep building new intentions. Once you fulfill your intention, set new ones and set them often. The more you build intentions around the things you do, the more productive you'll become and the more things will seem to go your way. *Remember that every intention doesn't have to be about hard work. You can keep your brain active while you engage in rest activities as well. For instance, when you intend to have a good time relaxing, you likely will.

Unlike goals, with intention setting, regardless of what happens, you can keep your word.

My energy, my vibe, and how I’m showing up in the world, those can remain the same regardless of what life throws at me. Whether I’m ravaged with success or unexpected roadblocks, I can remain an explorer of this journey. I can stay flexible and grateful.

The flip side is this: you can have all the success in the world and it still might feel empty. Maybe you do meet all of your goals and find… nothing. It doesn’t make you feel any particular way at all because there was no resonant intention there. It doesn’t feel “right” because it wasn’t true for you all along. Can you relate?

This also means that you’re less likely to be thrown off your game. The thing that you wanted to happen didn’t happen? It’s totally okay. You’re still here, grounded in the “why” behind what you do.

So what are YOUR intentions this year?

Learning how to use the power of intention is exhilarating! It frees you to be the best you can be and brings you a life worth living well.

(BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO DOESN’T MATTER NEARLY AS MUCH AS HOW YOU FEEL!)

PS-

What do you want 2021 to be?

I’ll tell you a secret: we can’t control the future. But we can decide how we embody our lives,
no matter what comes. If you're ready to finally take your life or business more seriously, you would be sorely missing out if that plan didn't include joining The 8% Club RIGHT NOW!

Planning a year ahead or even day by day isn’t about unrealistic goals that will only make us feel bad about ourselves (can someone say paying off all debt within 1 week or losing 20 pounds by next Monday!) It’s not about meeting someone else’s standards or judging ourselves by our ability to be as productive as humanly possible.

The 8% Club is about something else entirely: choosing how we as women want to show up for our lives and feel accomplished + fulfilled. Setting an intention, creating a vision for the day - month- and year, practicing embodiment, and then focusing in on a few, precious areas of our lives where we want to take the most intentional actions.

If you’re ready to add more success, more abundance, more clarity—or for heaven's sake just more of yourself—to your own life, I’ll show you how. We start with intention, and add from there. Join us now in the club.

Join me for one of my most popular events of the year: The 2021 Planning Party

JOIN THE WORKSHOP

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