What Does it Mean to Set Intentions & How to Set Them

Intention setting is a practice that can change your life. Intentions are different than goals because they are about mindset. More specifically, intentions are purpose-driven and deliberate statements about what you want to achieve or how you would like to behave. Intention-setting practices are about cultivating the ideal method to achieve goals and outcomes down the line, but it all begins within.

Why Should You Set Intentions?

There are many reasons for setting an intention. While an intention can be aligned with a particular goal or action, there are many different examples of intentions and how the practice can enhance your life. Whether you are seeking to set daily intentions, create a more positive life, or practice simple self-care, there are many reasons why the effort will be well worth it. Intentions have the following benefits:

• Increasing your likelihood of reaching goals: According to the  Life Purpose Institute, ​setting intentions helps identify what is important and direct energy accordingly. This clarity can prevent you from getting distracted by less important tasks and keep you aligned with your values as you pursue goals.
• Increasing your motivation: Oxford Academic states that to increase motivation, clear intention is vital. This is because the purpose or "why" behind what we do is ultimately what helps us stay emotionally connected to the outcome. 
• Increasing happiness and a positive mindset: Acting with clear intentions encourages positivity by bringing focus back to what we are aiming for, rather than what happened in the past. In this way, by setting clear intentions, we are better equipped to reduce worry and are less likely to dwell in old stories.  
• Accelerating positive change and self-awareness: Intentions that are aligned with values create a formula for achieving long-term goals. According to PositivePsychology.com, this leads to sustainable and meaningful progress.

How to Set Intentions

• Setting intentions in meditation will enhance mindfulness, focus, and a state of gratitude can create a new way of seeing the world. One way to do this is to leverage your meditation practice as a time to set clear intentions. What would you like to get out of your session? How would you like to feel? Simply asking the questions can often add clarity and supercharge your practice.
• Setting achievable daily intentions around mindset and how we want to feel throughout the day may be done through a simple journaling practice or even by sharing your intentions with a friend. You can also add a ritual to the intention setting by making space and time, maybe lighting a candle or taking a few breaths to review the intention in your mind.
• Setting one specific intention connected to a desire or goal is another way you can work with intention-setting practice. Think about something you'd like to manifest in your life. Ask what kind of mindset is required to achieve that goal. For instance, if you would like to lose weight but keep telling yourself you can't, what needs to change about your self-talk for you to find an intention that matches your desire?

Another Note About the Clarity Provided When Setting Intentions

Setting intentions positively affects personal growth and well-being by helping you get clear about how to make the right goals, rather than pursuing what you think you should because it's what someone else suggested. The role of intentions in mindful living helps you cultivate more self-compassion, which is a hallmark of mindfulness because it is about slowing down and understanding, honestly, why you want to do what you want to do.

"There's no way to become great overnight, but in the marathon of success, it takes a lot of intention to see you through each day of the journey."  Lewis Howes

On Setting Powerful Intentions

To be purposeful about our intentions, it is a good practice to begin in a meditation session. You can find a few deep breaths and set an intention while meditating. Ask what is motivating you right now and why you feel called to prioritize what it is you want to see happen in your life. If you are unclear about your intentions, look at what makes you feel accomplished. Make a list of your values and see how your actions are aligning or misaligning with them. From a place of honesty, the power of intention can be unlimited.

Sample Intentions to Inspire You

There are many ways and cadences to set intentions. Below are a few you can practice or modify to use individually and examples of intentions that are useful in the workplace or in relationships. It is important to customize your intentions to your own life and values, so use this as inspiration.  

Setting Personal Intentions

Personal intentions must be adapted to our journeys or adventures, but below are a few examples of what a personal intention can look like:

• I intend to feel supportive and supported in my relationships.
• I intend to cultivate more joy and gratitude in my life today.
• I intend to listen mindfully when others are speaking and focus on presence.
• I intend to take time to complete my work with focus and care.
• I intend to accomplish my goals.
• I intend to be clear and calm.
• I aim to be open-minded about my growth potential.
• I am dedicated to finding the joy in this experience.
• I will study to the best of my ability.
• I will set the tone for a great day.
• I will live in the present moment.
• I will stick with my goal to the best of my ability.
• I will practice gratitude and kindness.
• I will give 100% of my effort today.

Community Intentions

Intention practices can be utilized in team environments or when you are looking to achieve a shared goal. This could be an intention you set as a couple, with a friend, or at work. Below are a few examples of enhancing our relationships or community-building by identifying shared intentions, which you'll see are often connected to a strong sense of values and carry a tone of openness.

• We will be adaptable to change by playing to our strengths.
• We are committed and honest.
• We are dedicated to listening to each other fully and remaining present.
• We are creative and clear in our messaging.
• We will remain strong, even if things get hard.
• We will not succumb to limiting beliefs.
• We are setting goals and evaluating progress in a way that makes sense.
• We will celebrate our successes.
• We are dedicated to personal growth and a positive mindset.

Ultimately, intentions shape your daily actions and mindset, and to be intentional means to live with purpose. Intentions work by catalyzing your goals and providing meaning, which means clearer targets to strive toward.

Revisit your intentions if you are feeling off. After all, if something is done with intention, there will be more clarity around how to move forward. For anyone dedicated to personal growth, intention setting can be implemented in all aspects of your life and can work as a powerful practice to help you live authentically.