How Setting Goals Can Help You Live a More Intentional Life

We are often told that we should be living our lives more intentionally but what does that really mean??

An intentional life is a life lived with purpose. It's a life where you are constantly moving towards your goals and living in alignment with your values. When you set goals, you are putting yourself in the driver's seat of your life and taking control of your destiny. You are no longer just going through the motions; you are consciously choosing how you want to live your life.

As a society, we are often encouraged to “go with the flow.” And while it’s true that not everything in life can (or should) be planned for, there are definite benefits to setting goals and planning ahead – especially when it comes to our careers and businesses.?

By setting goals and planning ahead, we can better control our narrative thereby becoming more intentional to create more opportunities for ourselves.

Living an intentional life requires planning and discipline but the benefits are more than worth it. Here are three reasons why setting goals can help you live a more intentional life:?

1. Goals give you focus?
2. Goals keep you accountable?
3. Goals help you make better decisions?

But how exactly do you go about setting goals? The first step is simple: think about what you want to achieve. Do you want to get promoted? Make a certain amount of money? Get in shape? Once you have a general idea of what you want to accomplish, it’s time to start getting specific.?

Creating SMART Goals

When creating goals, it’s important to make sure they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. This acronym is helpful because it ensures that your goals meet all the criteria necessary for success.?

Here’s an example: Let’s say your goal is “to get in shape.” This is a great starting point, but it isn’t specific enough. What does “getting in shape” mean? Does it mean losing weight? Gaining muscle? Running a marathon? Once you have a clearer idea of what you want your end result to look like, you can begin filling in the other criteria.?

A Specific goal might look like this: “I will lose 20 pounds by June 1st so that I will feel confident in my appearance at my friend's wedding." This goal meets all the criteria of a SMART goal – meaning it's Specific (lose 20 pounds), Measurable (weight loss can be easily measured with a scale), Achievable (a healthy rate of weight loss is 2-3 pounds per week), Realistic (losing 20 pounds in 2 months is realistic if diet and exercise are given priority), and Timely (a date has been set for completion).?

Now more than ever we must approach all environments, both personal and professional with clear-cut intentions.?

When you do not have a plan, it is easy to get lost and end up living someone else's dream. But by setting SMART goals, you increase your chances for success by leaps and bounds because you put yourself back in the driver's seat of your life and take control of your destiny which is an incredibly empowering feeling.?

So if you're ready to start living a more intentional life, set some goals today!

Until next time continue being great!