INTENTION: The Key to Achieving Your Goals

New Years resolutions and goals always seem to follow the same path with the same result. Start…no finish. Beginning…no end. I feel like way too many people make resolutions only to break them a few weeks later. I want to share a strategy that WORKS. Not only will it help you stick to your resolutions, but it will ensure that you achieve your goals, and even create new ones.

The key is to set DAILY INTENTIONS. I will explain how it works but before I do that, you FIRST need to know what you want. What are your goals? What are your resolutions? The very first step is to define your goals. Here are 8 tips that are important to know to be effective in defining your goals:

1.)???There is no PERFECT time to start. Don’t over think, just do it!

2.)???GOALS MUST BE IN WRITING. Write them down.

“A goal without a written plan is just a wish”

3.)???Use present tense for your goals, like you are placing an order. “I earn”, “I achieve”, “I weigh”.

4.)???Set deadlines and timelines for your goals.

5.)???Make a list of what is needed to accomplish your goals.

6.)???Schedule tasks daily. Chunk time (use time blocks) and fill your calendar.

7.)???Growth and comfort do not exist together. To reach your goals, you need to get out of your comfort zone.

8.)???Action is REQUIRED… Take Daily ACTION. Goals should be verbs, not nouns.

Henry Ford once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are ‘going’ to do”.

The KEY to achieving your goals is by setting daily intentions. I like to call it a “Daily Intention Strategy” and here is how it works. Every morning, take 15 minutes of quiet time with your own thoughts. It could be when you are drinking your morning coffee, driving to work, walking on the treadmill, etc. Try to find a time and place with little or no distractions but it needs to be in the morning.

There are 3 steps to the process.

Step 1-Spend approximately 5 minutes thinking of 3-4 things you are grateful for. Could be something small like the nice weather we are having to something huge like the gift of your children and anything in between. Just be grateful and aware of the many positive things in your life.

Step 2-Spend approximately 5 minutes thinking about what you want. What are you hoping to achieve that day. You want to complete a project at work, do well on a test, have a really great workout at the gym, finish the article or paper you have been putting off etc. It could be a combination of personal and professional goals but be specific.

Step 3-Spend approximately 5 minutes imagining how GREAT it is going to feel when you complete these tasks. Picture yourself at the end of the day celebrating the completion of the tasks, maybe when you are driving home from work or just after you finished that last meeting or task. Feel the sense of accomplishment for that days success. This is IMPORTANT. Spend time in the belief that you have received everything you want for that day. Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “The thing always happens that you really believe in, and the belief in a thing makes it happen”.

Not only has this process proven to be successful, there is science behind it. I recently heard Andrew Huberman, Neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, on the Ed Mylett podcast discussing the topic of Elite Brain Training. Huberman explained that Dopamine, a hormone associated with pleasure and mood, is released anytime we are moving towards something and we think we are on the right path, not just when we actually get there. So dopamine actually rewards us for effort, struggle and the pursuit of our dreams as well as the anticipation of getting it. Huberman says that the brain is “always seeking novelty and reward”. If we are deliberate and intentional by thinking and believing we are on the right path, we are rewarded with the release of dopamine because the brain and body cannot tell the difference. He says we should be intentional about celebrating our efforts and struggles because we will be rewarded.

What will a Daily Intention Strategy do for you? Setting intentions every day will make you laser focused, self directed and decisive. It will make you accountable to yourself. It will help eliminate or decrease fear since you will be so laser focused that there will be no time for doubt. We only have so much energy each day to do what we need to do, setting daily intentions brings purpose to each day. Intention also creates awareness, which creates choice, redirects focus and causes you to take action.

The daily process of setting intentions is VERY powerful. Consistency is key and you DO NOT need to be perfect at this. Just do it. Approach each day with purpose and intent. Be deliberate and focused on your goals and what you want. As an added bonus, spend 10-15 minutes before you go to bed (maybe as you are trying to fall asleep) and reflect on your intentions. Be grateful for the days success, think about what you want to happen tomorrow and start to expect it will happen. Can you imagine what you could accomplish if you met yourself at the level of your own expectations? You are not going to rise any higher than how you see yourself. Start to see yourself where you want to be and I bet you will get there and accomplish your goals. ?

About the Author:

Tom Caravela has 30 years of pharmaceutical industry experience and is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Carolan Group and Host of the MSL Talk podcast. Founded in 2002, The Carolan Group is a leading pharmaceutical and biotech search firm specializing in Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaison recruitment. Tom is responsible for leading a team of expert recruiters and account managers in client expansions for various levels of field-based and in-house Medical Affairs professionals including Medical Science Liaisons, MSL Leaders, Managed Care/HEOR Liaisons, Medical Directors as well as various other medical and clinical affairs roles. With almost 3 decades of pharmaceutical industry experience, Tom is a frequent speaker and Medical Affairs Consultant for clients, advisory boards and industry meetings. His strategic interests focus on hiring, retention and career development for the field based MSL role.

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