Are you struggling to set meaningful and specific enough goals?
We’re always setting goals for ourselves, whether that’s to travel more, be healthier, binge watch every series on Netflix, start a blog or maybe even grow a business. No matter who you are and what your life looks like, goal setting is a part of it.
Goal setting is one of those rituals that can be a pretty painful process when it’s goal setting for anything that really matters to you. Especially, when you have no idea what you want to do with your life or even just with your now. So, why bother right?
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Or perhaps on the other end of goal setting challenges, you have way too many ideas and competing priorities. You’re simply overwhelmed by the possibilities for your life and you can’t think of a specific or meaningful enough goal to get started with. So, you give up on goal setting altogether.
And to make setting life goals even more complicated, you have your family, friends, society, culture, mass media, and even the corner store clerk demanding to know what you’re doing with your life and telling you who, and what you should be.
But, what do you want? Who are you and who do you want to be?
Sometimes the outside voices and pressures are so loud, that we forget to listen to our own inner voice. And that’s if we even learned how to hear it. Somehow I doubt, “listening to your inner voice” or “how to set intentions” was taught in school. It wasn’t for me and I spent ages in school.
If this is you, if you’re anywhere between lost and overwhelmed with goal setting, it’s time to pump the breaks and set an intention instead of a goal.
This is Part 1, of a 6-Part Series on How to Actually Achieve Your Goals.
#GoalSlayerSeries breaks down the honest unfiltered truth about what it really takes to achieve your goals. Each post explores one major mindset shift that you need to make in order to become a Goal Slayer (aka someone who achieves their goals without apology or excuse).
Let’s get you started, with setting intentions in your life by learning how to listen to your inner voice.
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What is Intention?
To help you set and ultimately slay your goals, your intention acts as your true north.
It’s both the direction you’re facing, and simultaneously where you are headed. Your intention acts as your compass, to guide you through goal setting and planning, to becoming motivated, finding your focus, and every aspect of achieving your goals.
Your intention is who your authentic self is and also aspires to be. It’s your heart’s desire, who your inner person is, and the manifestation of your true self in your life. An expression of your true, authentic self, driven by what you really want beneath all – when all those outside influences and noise are silent. *shhhhh*
An intention is greater than any goal you can ever set. It’s not about what specifically you want to achieve or how you’ll reach it, that’s what goal setting is for, rather it’s all about who you are and your why.
It’s the truest words you could ever speak to yourself. It’s honest, authentic, and all about the feels. It’s a promise, a vow to yourself that you plan to see manifested in your life with all your heart.
What’s the Difference Between Goal and Intent?
Goals and intentions couldn’t be farther from each other, they are exact opposites in at least 6 important ways.
The difference between goals and intentions is:
“A well crafted intention starts with your values and becomes a statement about how you want to show up in the world. They are guideposts for who you want to “be” and how you want to show up, instead of what you want to “do” or accomplish.” – Christie Inge
#1. INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL:
Intentions are an expression of your inner self, they say who you are on the inside, and who you aspire to be. It’s between you and yourself. On the other hand, goals are external, they are set and slayed in the physical world.
- Intention: “I want to feel brave.”
- Goal: “To face my fear of bridges and walk all the way across the Brooklyn Bridge by September.”
- Difference: The goal is the external proof that you feel this way. It’s tested and displayed in reality, not just in your mind, which you wouldn’t need to validate.
#2. PRESENT VS. FUTURE:
Intentions allow you to be successful right now, whereas goals are created for future success or potential failure. With intentions belonging to the realm of now, you are able to achieve it in the present. Goals are uncertain and not a sure thing, you can meet them or fall short. Intentions are absolute, it’s who you are, now, not maybe someday tomorrow.
- Intention: “I intend to put me first.”
- Goal: “To enjoy one mommy ‘me time’ weekend away from the kids before my birthday.”
- Difference: If this was your intention you can put yourself first right now just by taking 5 minutes for yourself, or doing something for you. The goal is achieved later, it maybe exists in the future.
#3. SIMPLE VS. STRATEGIC:
Intentions are simple sentiments, they’re not complicated. Goals, however, are strategic. Since intentions exist within you, they don’t need to take into account all the realities of your life, you don’t need to debate your time, money or energy, or plan to achieve them as you do for your goals.
- Intention: “I want to be free.”
- Goal: “To start a side-hustle and earn $2,500 per month, to quit my 9-5 job by winter.”
- Difference: The intention is what it is, it’s pure, it’s based on who you are and what you need, it doesn’t have to worry about the how or the what. But your goal has to figure out how, and be strategic, to take into account all the information.
#4. VAGUE VS. SPECIFIC:
Intentions are supposed to be vague. What do they even mean? Only you can answer and interpret what they mean to you and when. What your intention means changes and grows with you. Whereas a goal is specific, it describes a certain event or action. And everyone who can’t set a specific enough rejoices, your solution is to set an intention instead. The specifics will come later.
- Intention: “I am strong.”
- Goal: “To train this spring and win a mixed martial arts competition at my local gym by 2021.”
- Difference: To be strong can mean many things, it can be emotional, physical, spiritual, or even intellectual strength. But the goal is a specific definition of strength.
#5. FEELING VS. OUTCOME:
Intentions are all about feelings and emotions, but goals are tangible outcomes. Even if you wanted to be rich or have rock hard abs, it’s never just for the money or the abs, it’s for the feeling we get when we have them. We think our lives will be better with them. The intention is the feeling, but the goal is the outcome (ie. what we get or have).
- Intention: “I need to feel healthy.”
- Goal: “To eat a healthy, balanced Paleo diet for 5 days straight.”
- Difference: The intention is to feel healthy, you can do that by any means, going for a walk or doing some deep breathing, but the goal is a defined and reachable destination.
#6. CONSTANT VS. CHANGING:
Intentions are an expression of our authentic self’s greatest desire, they are tied to who we are, and even though we evolve as people, who we are is constant. It’s our understanding and interpretation that changes. We can have more than one intention and focus on different ones at various and varied times in our lives, but that inner voice doesn’t change its mind.
Goals, however, change as our understanding of ourselves and the reality of manifesting our intention shifts and grows. Goals are meant to change, they aren’t who we are, they’re just how we’re attempting to make who we are a reality.
- Intention: “To be happy.”
- Goal: “To have a fulfilling career that makes me feel proud and accomplished” OR “to be in a lasting and fulfilling relationship by the end of the year.”
- Difference: Both goals are a version of happiness, the intention is the same, it’s the interpretation and HOW you go about manifesting it that changes.
Although intentions and goals are different, we need them both to work together in order to set goals and achieve them. However, we struggle and feel lost when we jump to goal setting without first seeking out our intention.
Goals “anchor” our intentions in reality, and help us manifest our internal intentions into our physical lives. Goals give us a specific outcome and destination to work towards, but it’s the intention that motivates us, keeps us focused, and allows us to feel successful no matter what happens with the goal.
Why You Need to Set Intentions Instead of Goals
Imagine trying to travel somewhere with your eyes closed. You don’t know where you’re going, why you’re going there, you’re just moving without direction or directive. Right, left, circling around, back again… so you’re frustrated and you give up.
Now imagine that you can see where you’re going, you know exactly where you want to go, you can plot your course and move closer and closer in that direction.
That’s the difference between setting goals with and without an intention.
How to Find Your Intention
We all have moments in our days and lives that stand up and ask, what it is we need or who we need to be. That’s your inner voice shouting, that’s your intention.
Start listening to your inner voice and paying attention to each of these moments.
If goal setting and planning are frustrating you or keeping you from making progress then you need to stop.
Push the goal-setting aside, for now, put down your planners and your calendars, stop stressing about how you feel stuck and stagnant you are. Just breathe, let out all the frustrations that jab at you, that keep you up at night, and run like a roller coaster of anxiety and stress in your mind.
And ask yourself,
- What do I need?
- What do I want?
- Who am I?
- Who do I want to be?
- How do I want to feel?
You take your inner voice’s answer and you run with it, this is the foundation for your goal setting. BUT, if a specific and meaningful goal isn’t immediately apparent to you, that’s okay too. It’s simply an invitation for YOU to find a simple way to BE this now.
How to Set An Intention For Manifestation
It’s about manifesting that inner intention out into the world. And you don’t need to set goals or create an elaborate plan to do that. There always a simple way to manifest your intention in the immediacy.
For example, using the intention examples from above:
- How can you feel brave right now?
- How can you put yourself first today?
- What thoughts make you feel strong?
- How can you feel healthy at this moment?
- What makes you happy right now?
The intention is in the immediacy, in your now, so you can act on them.
“Passing desires are those things we say we want, and sincere intentions are directly related to the actions we actually take.” – Ariel Banayan.
You don’t need to set goals and craft elaborate plans to live your intention or to live with intention.
Get started by listening to your inner voice, hearing your intention, and then something to manifest it today.
That’s it! Don’t get caught up in planning and setting goals. For now, just focus on how you can live intentionally moment to moment.
When you start acting intentionally, that’s when the real magic happens you open yourself and your life up to opportunity, ideas and endless possibilities as the universe conspires to manifest your intention.
It can sound really out there, but it’s incredible how once you know what you need and want, the atmosphere around your life changes. It transforms into a place where the impossible happens, where you get what you need when you need it, where ideas and inspiration are born, where miracles and your dreams start to manifest.
How does that sound? Do you need this in your life right now?
Abandon your goals (for now), and start by setting an intention.
One simple phrase from your heart, to the universe’s ears.
One line of dialogue between you and your soul.
One declaration of truth from you to yourself.
A promise to yourself that you can start living today.
The FREE #GoalSlayer Masterclass
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Are you struggling to get started with goal setting? Learn how to start simple by setting intentions instead of goals. #GoalSlayerSeries #GoalSetting #Goals
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Last Updated on July 11, 2021
Leyla Bikbulatova says
Setting up my goals for this year right
Nadalie Bardo says
You sure are, Leyla! Intentions are the simplest way to get started today. You got this!
Jay Jones says
Loved all of this! I’ve had my intentions in mind for a while but haven’t been truly acting on them or understanding how they’re different than goals. Awesome post, Nadalie! I’m excited for what their series has in store.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jay,
So glad you enjoyed this post! Start listening to them, they’re usually right – and getting louder for a reason.
Enjoy the #GoalSlayerSeries!
Melissa says
What a great read! I agree. Setting intentions are far better than goals. I feel that goal setting can be overwhelming. Last night at my Yoga class I learned not to set goals but to state that it is something you are doing in the present. Like don’t say “I want to lose 10 lbs” instead say “I am living a healthy life”. 🙂 It really resonated with me.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Melissa,
You are so right – intentions beat goals ANYDAY! It can be so overwhelming and even when it’s not you’ve lost sight of the start line. Yes, and you can live healthy at any moment.
Ronnie says
Yes, I am ready! I was focusing too much on large goals and getting overwhelmed. It only caused me to give up or feel scared to move forward. Now that you’ve broken it into the differences between goals and intention, I need to rethink it all. Thank you for helping make my days happier and less intense! I needed that. 🙂
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Ronnie,
YES! Love it, go get it, starting living it right now. I’m always getting overwhelmed by goals, which is kind of why I don’t get caught up setting them.
You are so welcome!
Reesa Lewandowski says
I like this. I feel like you are making goals a lot less stressful. We put so much pressure on ourselves and sometimes we forget why we even started a goal in the first place!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Reesa,
Amen to that! Goals should be stress-free, they should help us, not hold us hostage. That’s when intentions come to the rescue!
Jenn says
I really appreciate this blog post right now. I started the year out strong, and then some how lost my way when it comes to reaching my goals. I’m trying our a few new things, like a vision board, but feeling like life just keeps getting in the way.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jenn,
I’m so glad that you found this post just at the right time. It happens to us all, especially around this time of year. Focus on the intention that you had when you made your goal at the beginning of the year – and ask, how can I live this out right now?
Leyla Bikbulatova says
Thank you for posting this. Helps me to keep my priorities in check when focusing on my intentions.
Nadalie Bardo says
Glad to hear it!
Penny says
I agree, and am a bit pumped now too!
I have to broaden into the intentions of my goals. When I do that I am embracing my Why and moving toward that. An arbitrary goal does not equal my Why, but my Why could include what I used to identify as my goals.
Thanks for the paradigm shift!
Nadalie Bardo says
WOOT! So glad you’re feeling ready to go, Penny!
It really doesn’t, it need to be rooted in something. For me, in the beginning, my simple why was to just be myself, to be who that inner voice wanted to be. I’d start there!
Jennifer says
This is beautiful and helpful advice. I love the comparison of intentions to goals. Great way to change the mindset.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for the blog post love. It’s a game changer that’s for sure!
Vanessa Palma says
This is so timely for me right now. I am always focusing on big goals and hadn’t even really thought about intentions. It seems like a more manageable thing to strive for and makes me feel more organized in my thinking.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Vanessa,
Well, then I’m so glad that I wrote it when I did! This is one of those topics I’ve been wanting to discuss, just always kept putting off.
It’s sooo manageable! None of that goal setting angst involved.
Donna Ward says
It can be hard to stay focused on your goals. It’s always a good idea to establish an intention. I can put too much pressure on myself to achieve those goals. Patience plays a big part in it. I just try to achieve my goals one day at a time
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Donna,
I so agree with you – goals can be really frightening and unapproachable. Especially as the months roll on and you feel like you’re not getting anywhere.
That’s the perfect way to approach it. We need to be patient and persistent.
Monica Y says
Great article. You know what they say, a goal without a plan is just a dream. So important to create a plan for achieving the goals and do not let anyone get in the middle of achieving them. Thank you for sharing. So motivational
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Monica,
So happy you’re feeling the motivation!
I’d agree that we need plans, but often times planning leads to procrastination. Which is why intentions are so different and worth setting BEFORE goals.
Lambam says
This is a great article and a good awareness for all A’s goal setting is the start point of every dreams and success. Can’t stop reading this article. Just subscribed as well ❤️❤️❤️
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Lambam,
Yay for subscribing! Trust lots more like this coming soon to an inbox near you.
Veronica Bettencourt says
This is so helpful! So often I set goals and when I don’t achieve them I feel despondent. This helps put it all in perspective. 🙂
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Veronica,
Woot for being helpful! Discouragement and disappointment can be dream killers. Intentions are great because you can achieve them.
Amanda says
This article really hit close to home for me. I always have a list of goals I want to accomplish, but don’t know why. Thinking about the intentions I have really gave me more insight into why my goals are what they are. I loved your list of examples for goals vs. intent too because I didn’t know the difference before. This is such a great article, thank you so much!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Amanda,
I think our eyes are too big for our abilities – we get so excited and want it all at once… but then we end up not achieving anything. Almost like going grocery shopping hungry – bad idea!
So glad you found that helpful, sometimes when you see it, you’re like OH it’s not that complicated if we do this instead.
Caylin says
What a great post! You gave some really good tips.
Nadalie Bardo says
Glad you enjoyed it, Caylin!
Heather says
I love this! Feeling like a failure after not achieving your goals is no way to keep going. But changing your mindset and maintaining focus will take you so far.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Heather,
It really isn’t! And you’re quite right – MINDSET is literally everything. Setting intentions instead of goals is all about shifting your mindset.
Miu Ahmed says
hii 🙂 woww such an insightful post! I never really thought about it like that. It’s definitely changed my way of thinking. xx
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Miu,
Glad you’ve had a mindset shift – how we think about something can lead to great change for us. Enjoy setting intentions instead of goals!
Lisal says
I am in the midst of much change in my life and mindset. This is so helpful Nadalie, by setting an intention a realizing that there are many ways to reach the eventual end/outcome, I can follow my heart, trust myself and the path.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Lisa,
YESSS! You’ve got it – there are so many ways and we’ll change how we approach it. Goals work, they don’t work, they change, but we’re always reaching for the same destination – that intention. Follow your heart, it knows where it’s going!
Marie says
I really like that, intentions aren’t so strict-sounding as goals… “you don’t need to craft elaborate plans to live your intention.” This might work for me…
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Marie,
No, they aren’t, intentions are super forgiving and embracing. It’s totally true! Just think it, and be it!
Brittany says
I’ve never thought about it this way. I’ve been setting alot of goals for myself lately and I think I need to slow my roll a bit! Creating smaller goals with more intent!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Brittany,
It’s a mind-twister isn’t it? It seriously changes everything and you’re spending less time “figuring it out” and more time just going after it.
Adele says
Fantastic article! Intention is the KEY!✌💜🔮
Nadalie Bardo says
It sure is, Adele! The key to the lives we want and realizing we already have it.
Shoma says
I love this. Its hard for me to set goals and actually follow thru with them sometimes.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Shoma,
We’ve all been there! But I have found that the less energy I give to goals, and the more I focus on aligning with my intention the farther I’ve gotten. And it’s easier to get started.
Shanna says
This is very helpful.. I have about a million goals and I realize now, they all lead to one intention. The intention should be the focus! Thanks!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Shanna,
That’s great! You had an intention all along, best to focus on it instead.
Lee @ Dragon'sEyeView says
I came from Paula @ I’mBusyBeingAwesome’s website. I like the *idea* of intention, but wow! The vague-ness is unsettling. Maybe I’ve been reading too much on setting goals, and then too much about daily habits instead of goals! I’ve signed up for your Masterclass and downloaded the workbook…to find my intention! 🙂
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Lee,
Welcome! So glad to have you visit! Hahaha, it can be unsettling at first, but there’s also a lot of freedom found in vagueness. It’s not to say you can’t also have goals, but use the intention to guide those habits and goals. Great, looking forward to seeing you at the Masterclass.
June Wangare says
This is simply amazing. Before I read this I was so upset about how hard it is for me to accomplish my set goals.But you made me realise that I was looking at it the wrong way. INTENT.That is literally the answer.I need to consider my intentions as I’m setting my goals.Thank you so much Nadalie ♡
Bezzoos says
You made everything easier for me.What I needed was this,simplicity! I feel everything i want to feel right now! And it is not from wishful thinking but from deep understanding of my true desires! Thank you,
Keep doing what you are doing 💛
Brian Wright says
I want to slay my goals!!! I linked to this article in my own https://thelifesynthesis.com/implementation-intentions/. Lemme know if you like it.
Alisha Pearl Keffer says
This is a great article. I am still struggling with how to set intentions. I have a hard time with allowing emotional side balance with my intellectual. I can write goals all day, but grouping them into intentions is where I get crossed up. For example, my husband needs more “us” time, and to assist. I need to make it a higher priority and schedule us time.So tge “why” is my husband needs more us time to balance life better. I am part of that balance and this is what he needs from me. I dont know how to put that into something for me.How would you make that into an intention? How do you word intentions that include others or how you need to be for me.
I can come up with cookie cutter intentions, as you have used for examples, but that deep to core of the heart ones, I can’t put together without turning it into a goal. I know it breaks down to processing,.however I am autistic and that processing isn’t there naturally. If you cant explain I totally get it! The article was.awesome and had great insight for the.next step for me!
Risa says
I recently started reading a lot of blogs u see and I really loved your blog content it’s exactly what a teenage want ,I also started a blog of mine recently although content are different it’s amazing to read your blog
Susan says
Thank you for this. This is exactly what I needed to read. I was overwhelmed with lists of goals and things to do to achieve them. I feel at ease now that I have my intention.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Susan,
You’re not alone in that, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with goals and endless to-do lists. Focus on your intention, let it motivate you daily.
Jason says
Thank you so much for this post!
I was trying to set goals again, but I never completed them at the end of the week.
Hope that the intention setting will get me where I want to be and how I want to feel.