WTF Is An Intention?
Many people are, rightfully, confused by the term intention.
‘Intention’ is often tossed round like a leaping goldfish. It’s slippery and out of its element, there’s no way you’re going to grasp it. Yet, you’re expected to catch it and put it in water OR IT DIES. Yes, this is a wonky analogy but I’m tired and I enjoyed writing it.
What I’m getting at is people like to exalt ‘setting intentions’ with no real guidance on why or how. Asking someone to 'just set an intention' is virtually meaningless and frankly lazy advice or coaching on the part of the person giving it.
Quality intention setting is so much more than writing an affirmation on a piece of paper (<-- that's just a reflection of your intention). It’s also easy to conflate intentions with goals. Yet they’re two distinct things.
It's this simple. So simple I’m gonna put it in BIG FONT:
A goal is something you want to accomplish.
Intentions are how you get there.
Unfortunately, I keep running across people using the term 'intentions' as a covert way of gatekeeping knowledge and making things more ‘mysterious’ than they need to be.
Here’s another analogy: A goal is a song. Intentions are the rhythm, the melodies, the elements that set the tone for your feelings and emotions. A song can't exist without the interplay of rhythm and melody, yet a singular rhythm or melody is not a song. A goal is shaped by multiple intentions. An intention alone may contribute to a goal, but it is not a goal.
The interplay of everything that goes into our goal, is driven by intention.
Intentions are what we pour into our heart and what impacts our nervous system as we work towards a goal. Intentions are what we put into creating the song. Sometimes it's crafted and sometimes, like emotion, it’s improv. (Just, please, there’s no place for autotune here.)
Again (because !important!): Goals are what you want to accomplish. Intentions are how you get there.
The process doesn’t need to be overwrought, yet it shouldn’t be under thought. And like any great song, while it may stem from you, you rely on others to help bring it to life. Even if they're just listeners.
My microdosing and guided plant medicine clients spend time designing intentions for their goals using a framework I've created over the years. In my group microdosing program, we dedicate a week to this before anything is ingested.
Putting in this work upfront pays beaucoup (that's fancy for 'a lot of') dividends later. Plus now they have my framework to use any time which, y'know how the saying goes: teach a man to fish and they'll say but we just passed by an Arby's bro. And I’ll say, gross.
It's important to me that you feel guided throughout the process of crafting your goals and intentions and you do not feel the loneliness and haplessness so many do when they're dismissed with a 'just write down your intentions'. I allow nary a single goldfish to be tossed.
Have you ever used a framework to craft your goals and intentions? I help all my clients develop theirs and I’d love to help you with one that fits your needs. Reach out for a free consultation.