Do you ever feel as though you are accomplishing your goals, but something is still missing? That you are advancing professionally, but you still aren’t satisfied? Most likely, it’s because somewhere along the line, you lost track of your intrinsic motivation.
To be truly fulfilled when you succeed, you must begin with a clear understanding of not only what you want but why you want it. Then let the meaning behind your ambitions guide your actions. You can do this by setting intentions for your life and being mindful of them every day. Intentions are about who you want to be, what you wish to contribute to the world, and how you want to touch the lives of others.
Goals are important and will help you focus on the steps you must take to advance what you are doing. But intentions will feed passion and clarity into the importance of each task, giving you the drive and determination you need to stay inspired and motivated.
When you direct your thoughts, feelings, and actions according to the meaning behind your mission, you will stand a much greater chance of achieving your deepest desires in alignment with your innermost values and aspirations.
Let’s say one of your core objectives is to make more money. Your intention could be, “I am increasing my income so I can experience a real sense of abundance, peace, and freedom.” Then you would create a specific, measurable, result-oriented goal to go with that intention. When you state your “why” with the “what,” you will be more enthusiastic and driven to prevail.
Here are six useful prompts for setting powerful intentions:
1. Congruence
If I were going to become even prouder of who I am, and I was going to live more congruent with that vision of myself, what would I do?
2. Creativity
If I was going to create more ideas and concepts that energize my mind and passions, what would they be?
3. Connection
If I was going to have more authentic, intentional, and meaningful relationships with all the people around me, how would I show up?
4. Contribution
If I was going to feel like I was making a real difference and living more purposefully each day, how would I contribute more of my time to meaningful tasks and objectives?
5. Excellence
If I was going to deliver greater excellence in my life and develop real mastery of specific skills, what would I do?
6. Enrichment
If I was going to experience more joy, greater presence, and meaning in my everyday life, what would I do?
You can also set intentions by picking traits you want to embody each day. For example, “I am energized, inspired, and motivated.” Or, “I am authentic, kind, and compassionate.”
Your intentions should always be positive, uplifting, and in the present tense, and they should be statements that focus on how you want to feel. Also, setting intentions is not something you do once and move on. It should be part of your daily practice, and they should grow and evolve as you do.
You have all the wisdom you need to build a thriving career that makes you happy too. You just need to take the time to approach your day mindfully and with clear intent and purpose. The practice of setting intentions will not only lead to greater success but a genuinely joyful, fulfilling, and meaningful future.