6 Ways to Add Intentionality to Goals and Dreams - The Affirmation Spot for Wednesday April 16, 2008
In my last post I talked about articulating your goals and dreams. Today we explore the concept of putting your intentions to achieve your goals and dreams out into the universe.Dictionary.com defines intention as 1) an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. 2) the end or object intended; purpose.Intentionality is about thinking, speaking, and acting as though your goal is already accomplished. There is a certain assumptiveness to it. You don't question your ability to reach the goal. You begin to embody its accomplishment. You hear phrases like "fake it 'til you make it" and "live as if..." used in motivational contexts.If your dream is to be a great painter, you begin doing the things that great painters do. You devote time to your art. You begin mingling with other artists. You start living the life you want today and let your art follow you to the dream.Be practical and responsible. If your goal is to become a millionaire, don't go out and spend yourself into debt on the assumption you are about to become a millionaire. Rather begin making decisions about your life like a millionaire. Begin envisioning yourself in that position. Begin taking actions to get you there.Intentionality is about putting a stake in the ground and committing your mind, body, and soul to reaching your dream. That requires a decision. The moment of decision is like the splash of a rock being dropped into a pond. The intentionality is like the ripples that stem from that splash. A decision to act displaces the configuration of the universe as surely as a rock hitting the pond displaces water. It creates movement in the world.The strength of the ripples (your intentionality) is determined by the size of the rock (size of your decision). The bigger your decision and the more determination there is behind it, the more powerful the ripples will be in the world. You can augment your intentionality by continually dropping rocks (renewing and recommitting to your decision).There are six things you can do to solidify your intention to achieve a goal or a dream. Each is important in creating the ripples and the movement towards accomplishment.
- Think about your dreams - don't let the day-to-day struggle of life prevent you from focusing on your dreams. Keep them "top of mind". Write them down and keep them in front of you.
- Share your dreams with others - there is additional power created when we share our dreams with another person. Sometimes others can support you creating a synergy of action that you cannot achieve alone. This also involves articulating your dreams - another important step in bringing them into action and reality.
- Pray or meditate on your dreams - ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened. In your quiet times ask, seek, and knock on the door of your dreams. Your quiet time is the time where you solidfy your intentions and handle the obstacles you encounter. You get recharged, re-energized, and refocused.
- Believe in your dreams - most great people go through a period on the way to their dreams when they are the only one who believes. You may face that and you need to be prepared to push forward.
- Act on your dreams - thoughts and words are the foundations of achievement, but action is the engine of it. If your thoughts and words are never translated into action, you will never achieve.
- Begin living as if the dream is already accomplished - be the person you want to be and live the life you want to have and let the reality follow the actions.
If you do these six things, you will create a powerful intention to see your dreams and goals become a reality.Now go out there and make a big splash! Create your ripples and get on to achieving your heart's desire.Be positive Be peaceful Be prosperous!Ray