Setting Intentions is Just Good Business

Photo Credit: scottwills

Have you set  your goals and intentions for the 2009 year?
I don’t know about you, but this time year seems to leave me feeling a tad overwhelmed.  While I’m not one for making resolutions, I do like to set my intentions and goals for the year.

The biggest challenge for both myself and my business this past year was to find a way to focus 100% on my community website (including the blog and the new promotions) as well as my consulting business.  I seem to be able to spend all of my time and energy on one, and do it well, at the expense of the other.  So I have to say, many of my ’09 goals will be focused on creating a way for me to successfully focus on both.

For some, one year goals just aren’t challenging enough – there’s no bigger picture. In my case, once I do what I’ve set out to do, I just cross it off the list.  But then what?  Having your goals expand beyond just this year gives you more of a holistic idea of what you’re looking for, what you’re creating and possibly, even a different way to look about accomplishing and manifesting what you want for the future.

Fabienne Fredrickson suggests going beyond focusing on just the current year and looking ahead to the upcoming three years.  Including future goals as part of your current yearly goals is like imagining that you’re “being surrounded by people who champion you in reaching your goals. As you know by now, your MINDSET and what you believe is possible for yourself is 50% of the game (compelling and authentic marketing being the other 50%.)”

To help you get started writing your goals or setting your intentions, here are seven suggestions:

1. Write in the positive: it’s not about what you could be losing, but it’s about what you will be gaining.  It’s about what you DO want, not what you don’t want.
2. Write everything out as detailed as possible and in the present: when you reread your goals and intentions, you want to be able to feel them, see them, as if it’s happening right now.
3. Use strong, powerful, action words: think of this as writing your resume for your future.  Think big.  Think bold. Live large.
4. Be sure your goals are measurable and tangeable: You won’t know when you’ve succeeded if you don’t know what quantifies a success.
5. Create balance: it’s easy to say “I want my business to be successful” (hello, how do we define success here, see #4?), but what about your personal life, your spiritual life, your health, your love life and your home life?  Surely you want a balanced life along with that business success, right?
6. Think big: don’t be afraid that something is too large, too much money, or too crazy.  You can achieve anything you put your mind to and your energy behind. We attract what we ask for, so make sure you ask for what you want (and remember #1).
7. Don’t be afraid: okay, this might be easier said than done, but honestly, if something doesn’t scare you, even just the slightest, then it’s not going to challenge you either.  When we face fear, we’re not just facing what we’re afraid of and our own perceived restrictions, but we’re facing the change.  Embrace that change.  Be that change.

If you need more help in setting your intentions or goals, Christine Kane has some great suggestions in her article, 6 Easy Steps to Getting What you Want.  And remember, setting those intentions, well, that’s just good business (cue the Good Eats theme song here).

What are you focusing on creating or manifesting this year?