I have been doing working a lot with the concept of Intention in recent weeks. It is becoming integral to so much of my work that I wanted to share a bit about it here with you.
Living with Intention is a very powerful way to be.... That sounds properly coachy, doesn’t it! But stay with me... The six intentional decisions that I outline here are fundamentally important. They get to the heart of what makes coaching and a coached mindset so valuable. Because living with very clear intention is what makes possible the change and the results that we want in our lives.
What do I mean by living intentionally?
Living with total clarity on your goals - being very clear on what success means for you. And also understanding that these goals will change from time to time.
Living in self-belief - with the certainty that you can create the results to achieve your goals. You may not always know HOW ahead of time but you do know you will figure it out.
Living your why (thank you Simon Sinek) - consciously aware of your deeply held beliefs that will motivate you towards your goals, even when everything sucks.
How do you live with clarity, self-belief and purpose?
By deciding to. Every day.
1. Decide to be ready
This is a conscious decision that I make every day. I wake up, gauge how I’m feeling, and decide what I’m ready to do and create each day. Sometimes I’m ready for anything! Sometimes I’m ready to get stuff done that I’ve been putting off. Sometimes I’m not ready for much at all. But I always decide to be ready to do and create something, even if it’s small, each day.
2. Decide to be consciously aware
...of how your thoughts and the stories you are telling yourself are impacting your behaviour and the way this is impacting your results and the people around you. And, of course, if this is happening for us, it goes for everyone else too. Choose the thoughts and stories that serve you. Understand that other people may or may not be doing the same.
3. Decide your desired outcome
Decide what you want and decide whether being in the current situation helps you in getting there or not. Can you change the current situation? If you show up differently in the current situation can it change to serve you? If yes, decide to show up in the way that will serve you. If no, be ok with deciding to actively move towards your goals / desired outcome somewhere else instead.
4. Decide that you are unattached to the outcome in the meantime
What if you knew what you wanted and did everything right but things didn’t turn out how you'd have liked? Decide to be ok with with that. Life throws curve balls. We can’t control everything. But decide also and that you are resourceful and resilient enough to find a different solution.
5. Decide to be open
Decide that you are willing to be wrong. Decide that you don’t know all the answers. Decide to live with an open mind and heart. This is how you will learn and grow and get better and stronger.
6. Decide to be curious
Decide to try to understand that little bit deeper, that little bit more, about what you and the people around you are thinking or doing to create the outcomes you see. When you understand what is causing or impacting results, you are empowered to influence those results.
I know these six decisions work because I see the results for me and my clients. I have a client who came to me telling me they had no idea how to start their business, but who is now launching amazing products. Another client, who was feeling beaten up by a career that paid well but wasn't fulfilling, is now experiencing a renaissance of learning and inspiration in a new role. I also have a client who struggled always in their relationships but has learned to communicate and trust in a whole new way.
All because they learned to make, and keep making, these six decisions.
It takes commitment to but it’s worth it.
These decisions will transform your relationships with partners, children and colleagues. They will increase your ability to learn, improve and outperform in ways that didn’t seem possible.
How is coaching so helpful for achieving these results? Because you cannot talk yourself into this mindset and expect it to stick.
Deciding is a daily practice - like physical exercise or meditation. Your coach is your personal trainer for your mind: we understand your unique areas of strength and weakness and teach you how to work with them; we are right next to you to encourage you to go that bit further as you get stronger; and we teach you new levels of skills as you master old ones.
When you live intentionally, with clarity, self-belief and purpose, you decide and repeat. It is a conscious and loving commitment to yourself that you renew every day. And the results of nurturing this relationship with yourself and your life, make it worth it in countless ways.
Are you ready to decide? Let’s chat.
You can book an initial consultation with me here.