Category: Entrepreneurs

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How to Take Calculated Risk to Achieve More and Become Successful

Take Calculated Risk to Achieve More

Risk is something we all have to face in our lives but appreciating its value and impact on our lives is not always easy.

I asked my social media friends on a survey whether they felt risk was a good thing and 100’s said yes and yet I know from my clients that this doesn’t equate to 100% of people taking every risky action they could to achieve more and live a life that fulfills them.

Take the client who needed a coaching session to get them to take the jump into self-employment. They knew in their heads that with over 20 years at the pinnacle of their career, they could do it. But they needed their coach to be the one that took the training wheels off and said “let’s do this!”

We don’t all take the risks we should in life. What makes a risk feel too big? What external impactors change our perception of risk and what’s the difference between good risk and bad? When should we be risk-averse? And how can we work out the difference and step up to take the risks that could change our lives (for the better)?

What is calculated risk?

Let me ask you:

“Would you cross a 3 lane road of fast moving traffic?” The answer is likely to be “no” right?

What about if I asked, “Would you cross 3 lanes of traffic at night?” Still a “No?”

What about if I said, “Would you cross 3 lanes of traffic that had a pedestrian crossing?”

Look how the risk changes. It is the same road with the same cars, but we’ve gone from a risk that we are unprepared to take to one that has an element of control and expected outcomes. That is what a calculated risk is.

Would you quit your job right now and set up in business on the street corner in an hour’s time? No of course not. However, would you quit with a plan of action in a set period of time? Possibly?

The thing about calculated risk is that humans have to deal with their perceptions or reality, their emotions, feelings, and even beliefs to be able to take on risk. And that is why you may see 100% of people saying “Take the risk”. However if questioned further, I could probably find at least one occasion where every single person should have taken the risk and they didn’t.

I’ve seen people turn down contracts, delay traveling, delay saying “yes” to marriage, delay quitting their job, and even delay having their hair chopped off because they’ve not been able to calculate the risk with an outcome that they deem will be satisfactory.

Is all risk calculated?

In a speaking engagement, I once re-enacted the moment when the hero of the film is hanging on for dear life to the side of a mountain. There are no hand places left going up. They can’t go down and there’s no way out, the baddies are shooting at them from every angle and you think “There is no way out of this!” and then miraculously they let go tumbling through the air, landing in a helicopter that flies into view being flown by the gorgeous incredibly clever side kick.

Risk is a bit like that.

The first time James Bond, Jack Reacher or Lara Croft let go and went in a new direction, they were probably experiencing massive levels of fear. However, by overriding that fear, they were able to create a new definition of what is possible. It’s not called mission impossible for nothing.

But how can we know it’s a good idea to jump and when it’s going to lead to impending doom?

Interestingly, children seem to be risk blind for a while. It is adults that stand behind them shouting “Don’t do that, you will fall and break your neck!” Do children stop doing stupid things? A and E departments would argue no.

But if we didn’t take on risk we’d never learn to walk. The first time you pulled yourself up onto your legs and stood there jumping up and down with a grin that said “Look what I can do” was sheer joy, not so much fun the next time you tried it and nearly removed your nose. Most parents will have a story of how their child made their hearts leap with absolute terror as they did something stupid, but risk needs us to test its limits or we will all be still sat in baby gyms unable to reach the cool toys.

The reason some people achieve great things is that they are prepared to test their risk limitations.

How to grow your risk tolerance to achieve more?

Here I’ve aimed to break down what you need to keep your eyes peeled for, how to fix what you find, and what you need to do so that you can calculate risk and achieve more with the following methods:

The RRIS method

R – Research everything you aim to achieve.

But also know when to stop researching and get on with it. The number of clients I’ve worked with who are so ready they could be the most intellectual person on the planet in their area of expertise.

It’s easy to get in the trap of “doing just a bit more research” to get you out of taking action. So do your research and use the other tips to help you to take action on your knowledge.

R – Rationalize your reality.

I often hear clients say things that once said back to them they can quickly (and often embarrassingly) see that it’s just not true. They’ve twisted reality to enable them to stay safe.

Question what you believe to be true and the results you perceive to be impossible to avoid. Do you have evidence to prove your reality or are your thoughts just enabling your comfort zone to stay the same size?

Comfort zones are like big thick duvets. Glorious in the middle of winter with the rain battering the windows and you are curled up safe and warm, but hideous in summer, when the same duvet can wrap itself around you becoming a sweaty trap for your legs to get caught in.

If you know that a comfort zone is twisting your reality, you can be like two versions of my clients:

  1. They like to get so far out of their comfort zone that they can’t see it anymore. They do big actions putting into action the right support to achieve them. Learn and move on.
  2. They would literally feel stuck in fear if you offered them option 1, therefore they like to do things in small tiny morsel-sized bites. If this is you, arrange to challenge your beliefs around anything in your life (not just related to the calculated risk to achieve more).

If you like structure, start the day in a way you wouldn’t. Get dressed before you brush your teeth, listen to a different radio station, and choose a different route to work.

Silly things that make you think about what you are doing can help you see that different is not bad. Different can be exciting, new, rewarding and so much else. And tiny steps can be right for some.

I – Ideas can reduce or inflame our capability for calculated risk.

Before you do anything, somewhere in your head it was a thought. When you really appreciate this, you are able to see that before you take on any risk, you have to have the ideas behind it to achieve.

Ideas like this will be exciting, and life-changing, and will work and make my career. What phrases would you create to describe the result of your idea?

If you notice they are negative, where’s your evidence? Clients often tell me that I make them take risks. As a coach, that’s impossible. My job is to enable them to see what they really want and overcome their beliefs and obstacles towards going for it.

Once we are faced with the facts about our skills, past successes, and capabilities, we can’t help but ask “What is stopping you?” By doing this, you are creating a solid foundation to get great results because your ideas are positive and not made up of illogical untruths like “it won’t work”, “what if I fail”, “it’s not done like that”, “I will end up looking stupid”.

S – Success over scares

It is a calculated risk and therefore something that is worth investing in and going for when our level of fear is reduced and our belief about success is raised. Where do you stand on this scale?

Scared! vs Success!

Now add the following words to the above scale. Where would they sit?

  • Staying safe
  • Stuck
  • Self-esteem
  • Stopping myself

Can you start to see how there is a big gap between scared and success? And between the two there will always be elements of feeling safe or stuck and worrying about whether you can do it. The important thing to remember is that you will never completely bridge the gap between scared and successful. A little fear is really good for you.

I’ve never had a speaking engagement where I don’t feel a little nervous. 9 years ago that wasn’t nervousness that was absolute terror. And I once read “It’s not stage fright, it’s performance energy.”

What description would you like to use to describe your calculated risk? If you were to say it out loud, would it be a positive sentence or one that reduces you to fear? Your words and finding your place on the scared-to-success scale could define your likelihood of success.

The know-it kit

Taking the risk is scary, from the client who wanted to confront their boss of 10 years and make a suggestion that they knew flew in the opposite opinion of their boss, to the singer who is too scared to stand in front of an audience. The important thing is to remember that you are in control of the risks you take and a know-it kit can help.

Know the times you’ve been successful.

Lot’s of clients will tell me that their fear is overriding their beliefs about what can be achieved. At times like that it’s no good to think something different and expect it to magically make it seem easy.

Get the facts on your side. As much as your heart will fill your head with negativity, hanging on to the facts of what you’ve already done in life is something you can’t argue with.

Know the skills you have.

As above, when we take on a risk, we need to know we’ve got what we need to get the results we want.

Know that mistakes are good.

No exceptional rise to success didn’t have setbacks, no great inventions didn’t have failures (with many of those becoming inventions in their own right) knowing that mistakes are an opportunity to learn and good for the end results can ensure you take action even when the fear is raising its ugly head.

International Vocal Coach Gemma Milburne shared,

“I think many of the greatest singers are the most willing to take risks. You have to risk going out of tune, making mistakes, sounding awful, in order to get REALLY good at singing. As a vocal coach a lot of what I’m doing is helping singers to face that ‘mental’ risk that’s in a person’s head.”

Know the people you can trust.

When everything is in place, you’ve got the evidence, you’ve done your research, you are accountable, focused, and ready for action, sometimes just a chat with the right person can be all you need.

Who is in your Know It Kit? You can trust them to say what you need them to say. And not just “You will be great dear, go for it.” Having the right people there will challenge, empower, and ensure you’re ready in every capacity to make it happen.

Before a petrified public speaker has taken to the stage or a client has walked into a room to go for their big dream, I’m often the one they text as they walk in for that last-minute reminder that they’ve got this.

Know the way you have to feel.

And lastly, don’t forget that even with the right words from the right people, it is still down to you.

Sometimes cultural beliefs and feelings can slip into our mindset, other people in the same industry can tell us “It’s never been done like that” and it can knock our focus and derail our thoughts.

How do you need to feel to get the results you want? If I told a person from 200 years ago that they could fly anywhere on this planet on the same day, I’d likely have been locked up. Our beliefs change with time and experience. Do you want to be the person that creates the thoughts and beliefs of the future? Or wait for someone else to have taken the risk (and the glory!) and to leave you wishing “I wish I’d taken that risk”?

Face your fear and take risks

Looking back to myself years ago, Mrs. Nervous Wreck lacking in confidence…

She looked up at the chandelier that was taller than her house and tried to focus her thoughts. No amount of “thinking positive” was working and she just wanted her spleen to burst so she could end up in the hospital safely away from this extravagant room and all these people. How could she ever have thought it would be a clever idea to speak to a room full of her peers?

Less than 5 months prior to this moment, she’d stood in front of just 25 business owners and faffed, and fumbled through her words, feeling like a complete fake wishing to never see any of these people ever again. Heck, even a career in a local fast-food place would be better! She’d made a memorable impression but for all the wrong reasons and one of the audience had taken great delight in reminding her of her epic fail, so what had driven her to do it again?

That was me but for some reason, I’d decided to take the risk and speak on another stage in front of more people.

In many ways, I was hardly recognizable from 9 years ago to today when I’m described as “one of the best speakers I’ve ever heard” and “changed my life in one hour.” Clearly, my ability and attitude to speak to an audience changed but what else?

It was how I faced my fear and how I grew my risk tolerance to achieve more.

By taking my advice on how to take calculated risks, you will gradually find yourself becoming braver and embracing more opportunities. You’ve got this!

Source: lifehack.org ~ By: Mandie Holgate ~ Image: Canva Pro

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Why Authenticity In Marketing Matters Now More Than Ever

For brands — just as for celebrities, politicians and anyone else in the media spotlight — scandals, PR mishaps, and social media slip-ups are nearly impossible to keep off the connected consumer’s radar. As a result, brands no longer have an option other than representing themselves honestly and transparently. Authenticity is crucial to continued loyalty from fickle audiences.

This poses a challenge for marketers: They must navigate the latest and greatest means of meeting the customer where they are and ensure the messages they put out are both genuine and in alignment with their brand principles. Of course, the irony here is that marketing, by nature, isn’t really authentic. It’s an all-out arms race as brands compete to showcase their products and services in the most attractive, clever, and appealing light possible while simultaneously downgrading their competitors and sweeping any negative commentary under the rug.

Those who have embraced authenticity and transparency (Dove, Airbnb) find consumers will do the marketing for them. Those who have fought it (Uber, Pepsi) continue to struggle to regain footing with an audience who will watch their every move, waiting to pounce when the first signs of negativity arise.

As someone who has worked with Fortune 500 brands to achieve better omnichannel customer experiences, I’ve seen how inauthenticity can negatively influence customer perception — and how brands that are customer-first always come out on top. Here are a few ways to infuse authenticity into your marketing and branding efforts:

1. Remember that honesty is (still) the best policy.

Why is communication — with the public and employees — the crux of any organization? It’s because humans are emotionally driven and crave the security of knowing there is an underlying foundation of mutual respect, honesty, and trust between them and the establishments they associate with.

For so long, brands have valued traits like “clever,” “funny” and “witty” over traits like “honest,” “trustworthy” and even “vulnerable.” These qualities aren’t mutually exclusive, of course, but brands must exhibit the latter three or consumers won’t care about the former. This means listening to feedback or criticism and responding accordingly. A brand that is “above” humility will ultimately be resented. Audiences naturally shudder in response to falsity.

In today’s social media-driven world, news spreads fast. It’s all too easy to let the message get out of control without being able to effectively shut it down on your terms. So, invite your audience to be a part of the ride, changes and turmoil to humanize your brand. Don’t be afraid to tell customers that you’re working on improving a defective product or launching a new product that may not be fully baked. When customers feel like they were clued in, they will be more forgiving of any hiccups or inconveniences they experience along the way.

2. Show ‘em what you know — and that you care.

If your marketing strategy lives and dies by the “spray and pray” approach, your audience will sniff out the generic undertones and dismiss you. With myriad data available to marketers, there’s no excuse not to attempt some form of personalization and targeting. Don’t get me wrong: Personalization is an overused term in the industry, but its potential impact in marketing is huge. However, use caution when defining personalization for your business and customers  — or risk trading authenticity for an ultra-creepy persona.

Consider the various stages consumers go through when researching and buying your product or service. Match their brand experiences to any customer data you have at your disposal. When you show them that you care about what they want, it not only boosts loyalty, but offers a human (read: authentic) element to the brand experience.

3. Stay true to the brand.

When brands are in a crunch to adapt and better connect with their audience, a “reinvention” is usually an avenue to boost sales or spur awareness. But reinventions often lead to brand experiences that stray far from the core values — and therefore alienate customers even more.

There are many ways to boost brand love and connect with consumers emotionally without sacrificing core brand values. Brands that operate one way offline but have a completely different online persona can come off as having a “multiple personality disorder” that sends audiences straight to the complaint boards. For example, don’t portray yourself as a luxury brand if your product is actually a value play. Stay in your lane, be the best in your sector, and know your customer and their expectations.

4. Be clear, direct, and calm.

Most brands will inevitably face at least one communications crisis. They’re unavoidable and unpredictable, and the worst mistake you can make is a knee-jerk reaction. Consider the United Airlines fiasco that continues to drum up social media chatter: Not only was the brand seemingly ill-prepared to handle the backlash from dragging a passenger off a flight, but it also didn’t stay on message. Within 24 hours, United released two varying statements, making its stance on the issue confusing, hypocritical, and difficult to understand. And the more it evolved, the harder United became to trust. That’s why it’s important to have a proactive strategy that ensures your message stays consistent while you communicate to all of your stakeholders.

In the long run, taking the time to build an authentic foundation and a community of brand ambassadors will help establish and maintain this authenticity, even through turmoil.

Source: forbes.com ~ By: Ashley Deibert ~ Image: pixabay.com

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How To Set An Intention & Why I Like Intentions More Than Goals

 Guide to Intention Setting

Before we dive into the fun stuff, I just want to put it out there that I’m by no means the end-all-be-all expert on intention setting. I’m not following anyone else’s method or saying that my way of setting an intention is any better than anyone else’s.

My goal is that if you’re new to intention setting and curious about it, this post is a handy guide for getting started. I hope you customize this process to your own life as much as you’d like. That’s what puts the power and magic sauce into these mindfulness practices. It’s about making them fun, making them your own and truly believing in what you’re doing, not because “Georgie said so” or any other expert is telling you what to do.

And if it feels good, feel free to apply that same mentality to any personal growth or spiritual practice. Again there are no brownie points for the person who does everything by the book. All these tools are just tools trying to help you be more YOU. (So to do them your own way is awesome.)

What is an intention?

Ok, first things first, what’s an intention? Webster’s Dictionary defines an intention as “a determination to act in a certain way.” I define an intention as a purposeful awareness of how you want to experience something. It’s about how you want to act and also how you want to feel.

Long story short: an intention is purposefully deciding how you want something to feel.

Quick example… maybe you have a meeting with your boss to negotiate a raise. You could set the intention of “I intend to own my value.” Intentions aren’t about denying or pushing away real feelings, instead, they are about choosing what you want to focus on. It’s ok to feel nervous and worthy at the same time. You’re not denying the nerves, you’re just directing your focus on how worthy you feel.

Why I’m Drawn to Intention Setting

It’s like a post-it note reminder for our brain

I like to think about it kind of like picking a Spotify playlist. You want to be surprised by the songs and maybe discover some new songs but you know the kind of music you like and want to hear more of. Instead of shuffling every song in the universe and accidentally listening to death metal when you love pop, it’s saying “hey universe I love me some pop and I’d like to listen to more of that.” You’re choosing the mood you want the music to be and you’re aware of how that music makes you feel.

An intention is like that. It’s setting the mood and the vibe for your brain.

I like to set intentions for the day or month or a specific experience because it reminds me to be present versus going on autopilot. It helps me make the most of a situation versus reacting to default programming.

Goals vs Intentions; What’s the Difference

The difference between setting a goal versus setting an intention is that a goal is about achieving a specific outcome, whereas an intention is about setting a specific mindset or feeling. The reason I stopped focusing on goals so much is that I realized, the reason I want to achieve a specific goal is that I want to feel a certain way. For example, say I want to earn $80,000 in a year. The reason I want that specific goal is because I want to feel secure, have fun, feel abundant, and be able to be generous with my money.

But guess what? I can focus on feeling that outcome and totally skip over the specific number. How? By setting an intention. The best part? When you’re not so focused on the specific achievement you open the door to so many more possibilities and outcomes. You might make more money, you might be able to find all those feelings through other opportunities that aren’t tied to a dollar amount that actually make you much more joyful.

If you stick to a specific detailed goal you might be able to achieve it without achieving how you want to feel. What if you got that $80,000 and were miserable the whole time? Or do you get there in an unsustainable way? Or have you compromised your values?

Why do we need to narrow down our desires and joy to such specific goals? Another reason I love intentions so much more than goal setting is that the focus is always on how you’re feeling throughout the process. It isn’t about hustling and being miserable just to get to the end. Because I can tell you from experience as a former serial goal setter that I usually busted my ass then got to my goal and many times I felt totally let down after that initial high.

If we don’t feel good on the journey, usually a specific outcome isn’t going to magically make us feel better. And if it does, it’s usually a fleeting feeling. Intention setting is fun, and sustainable and opens us up to so much more surprise, delight, and magic in our lives.

How To Set an Intention

1.) CHOOSE THE SEGMENT OF TIME OR EXPERIENCE YOU WANT TO SET THE INTENTION FOR

For example, one day, a meeting, the month, a moon cycle. Whatever feels right to you.

2.) VISUALIZE THE PROCESS AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU’D LIKE TO FEEL

Think about what areas of your life are going really well. Why is that? How do you feel about them and why? Would you want that same feeling in other aspects of your life? That’s a great place to get started.

When you’re first starting with intention setting it can be hard to find the right words or feelings. We’re so conditioned in our society that feelings only occur because of circumstances. However, that doesn’t have to be true. If we set the “vibe” first, then the circumstances will occur in a more meaningful positive way. Why should we have to wait to feel how we want?

3.) CREATE A LIST OF WORDS THAT ALIGN WITH THAT FEELING

I think it can be helpful to write a master list of intentions to help when you’re feeling lost or stuck. Trust that everyone’s desires are allowed to be different and they’re also allowed to change and evolve. Having a list to draw from adds ease to the process.

4.) NARROW IT DOWN TO ONE OR TWO INTENTIONS

I would recommend choosing one or two intentions at a time. I know it’s so hard to narrow down sometimes. However, I’ve found over and over again when I try to focus on too much a.) I can’t remember what the intention I wanted to set was and b.) I get overwhelmed.

Part of the process is narrowing and focusing so if you start with a list of 10 things don’t throw it away, keep it for the next month or moon cycle and see how you feel without needing to do everything all at once.

Another benefit with fewer intentions is that you can see the power of them more easily. If you focus on one word for a whole month it’s much easier to see how that worked for you than spreading yourself so thin.

HELPFUL TOOLS TO SUPPORT YOU:

These tools are here to support you. They are not mandatories for setting an intention. You don’t need to do any of these practices, only do them if they feel aligned and fun.

1.) CHOOSE A CRYSTAL TO INFUSE WITH YOUR INTENTION.

When you hold it repeat your intention. Every time you pick up that crystal or look at it remind yourself of that intention.

2.) MEDITATE FOCUSING ON YOUR INTENTION.

3.) JOURNAL YOUR INTENTION

You can do a full journaling exercise about your intention or simply write it down somewhere important every day so you can see it and feel the act of writing it.

4.) REFLECT

After your set amount of time or experience reflect on how that intention colored what you went through. Did it help? How? Do you want to update your intention moving forward or stay with that same intention?

Need a Little Inspiration to Get Started?

I love this deck: Affirmations… and I also love using angel cards: Make them for free

There are no right or wrong ways to use these cards. They are great tools to guide you whenever you might need them. Personally, I spread the deck out and use my left hand (the receiving energy) and choose a card based on how I feel – allow your hand to choose versus overthinking it. I find that it’s extra powerful to keep the card with me and write the word down.

Source: init4thelongrun.com ~ By: ~ Image: QuoteFancy

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Why setting intentions is the way to achieve your goals

Intention is more than wishful thinking. It's willful direction. Jennifer Williamson

It’s that time of the year…where everything is about goals (and reindeer!).

Career goals, life goals, business goals, and, of course, resolutions.

There was a time, not so long ago, when I lived by goal setting — and told others it was the way to go.

But I have to tell you a secret. I found something better to help achieve whatever you want to do and go wherever you want to go.

Setting intentions.

Sure, nothing beats a goal when you want to get things done. But an intention goes way deeper than that: it’s a powerful tool to boost your inner strength. And if you’re determined to grow through your actions, then an intention could be the key to unlocking a lifelong habit of excellence.

Here’s why setting intentions is the way to achieve your goals.

Goals or intentions?

Let’s have a look at definitions.

Goal: “An aim or desired result”.
Simply put: what you concretely achieve.

Intention: “Something that you want and plan to do”.
In essence: the process you go through until you get to “what you concretely achieve”.

I like to see goals as a practical, efficient way to see the future. Want to stay on track and hit a result? Then set a goal!

Setting goals works so well because it’s part of a cognitive process of planning and analyzing. It gives you full control over how you’re going to move from A to B. And your brain loves that. It rewards you with feel-good hormones such as dopamine each time you engage in the process.

Sounds great? But in the meantime, life happens. You find it hard to increase willpower and self-discipline and stick to the plan. When the time comes to evolve from motivation to resilience, it’s difficult to follow through.

If you’ve ever been stuck and found it difficult to embrace a positive perspective, then setting intentions could be a magic shift for you. Because your intentions support goals from the inside.

Setting intentions is the act of stating what you intend to accomplish through your actions. It’s a commitment to what you want the journey to be about as you move on or move up.

When you are intentional about something, your focus is in the moment: who you are, what you do, why you do it. And it requires presence along the way, checking inside as you work on the outside.

This is why setting intentions is the way to achieve your goals. Intentions bring a special quality of focus. They act as a powerful reminder of the bigger perspective. And they trigger introspection: result aside, what am I hoping to gain from the process?

The difference between setting intentions and defining goals

Let’s be practical. I will use one of my favorite examples (because I hear it every week): “I want to stand on my head”.

[If you’re not into yoga, believe me, people do want to do that. Badly.]

Let’s set a goal: achieve Shirshasana (aka headstand) and balance on your head for a good 30 seconds.

With that end result in mind, you’re going to practice hard, try (and fall, many times). Experience frustration (why others and not me) or even fear: what if the upside down is full of monsters? (Not kidding. For your brain, body upside down = scary thing).

Weeks, months or years later, high fives and champagne out, you’re finally upside down, noticing that (1) there are no monsters out there and (2) you need to carefully adjust your eyesight otherwise you squint.

How many of you would say “I made it!”? And think of the next thing to run after?

How many of you rejoice and then deconstruct the process: building upper body strength, overcoming fear, or developing the grit to stick to something that matters to you?

Now, let’s see what setting an intention would look like: simply to know how it feels to balance on your head.

You’re likely to pay attention to each moment where you get one inch closer to the end result. Notice that split second where you could lift your feet off the ground? What was missing to do more than 1 wobbly second? Is it balance? Strength? Lack of focus? Fear of monsters in the upside down?

Bear with me: we haven’t achieved the full 30-second headstand yet. But part of the result is real already. You’re in it. You have a high degree of awareness of the whole process. You integrate the benefits as you work on your target, no matter what the end result looks like, no matter when it becomes real. Your intention supports your goal 100%.

I’ll say it again, goals are great to get things done. But I know human nature well enough to tell you that they can be a trap. A trap where you focus so much on the outcome that you ignore the journey, its lessons, and the joy of going through it.

That’s why I think setting intentions is the way to achieve your goals.

How to work with intentions

Let me share with you how I do it for myself. Usually, setting intentions is for me a process that follows 4 principles:

    • Always a positive affirmation
    • Always on the back of a wider goal
    • Always at a regular frequency
    • Always part of a small ritual

Each month, I have a bit of quiet time (check this infographic 5 minute mindfulness rituals for leaders to know what to do). Then I have a look at my goals and I get to work with my intentions.

As my holistic view of life is to align whatever I do with body, heart, mind, and soul, I tend to do that with intentions, too.

Goal: go to bed at 10 pm 4x / week.
Body intention: I am rested and energized.

Goal: end a relationship with a partner in business who doesn’t meet my standards. Nicely.
Heart intention: I am compassionate towards people who don’t share my values

Goal: secure a new contract with a wellness supplier.
Mind intention: I am focused and address one obstacle after the other.

Goal: stop for 5 minutes each day and do some breathing work.
Soul intention: I am in tune with my feelings.

___________________________

I remind myself about my intentions every day. I review progress on my goals every week.

Setting intentions on the back of your goals can act like magic. Because you bring a wider perspective of growing through your actions. You get into a self-exploration routine. And you do so each time you analyze your results.

How? By giving your inner leader a voice to ask ”is there another way to do this?” each time you feel stuck.

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How Being Intentional Can Improve Your Life

How Being Intentional Can Improve Your Life

Living intentionally is more than just a trend. Being intentional with your actions, words, and lifestyle can help you get off autopilot and work towards achieving your goals.

Daily life is full of tasks, and work-life balance is hard to keep up. Living intentionally can help you take time for yourself and avoid the types of stressors that set you off. Think about your actions and how they’ll affect your well-being — and the well-being of others around you.

Over 50% of employees say they have a moderate stress level, and this number rose between 2016 and 2020. Being intentional is one way to mitigate that stress. No matter what life stage you’re at, approaching tasks and decisions with intention is a great way to be more present and build a life that you feel proud of.

If you want to become more intentional as part of your self-improvement journey, here’s what you need to know.

What does it mean to be intentional?

Intentional choices are deliberate and purposeful decisions. Living intentionally means thinking ahead and making choices based on your values, beliefs, and goals. People who live with intention try not to act on impulse, but instead, think ahead and choose things that affect their lives positively.

To start living an intentional life, you need a clear understanding of your purpose and passions. Then you can set goals to guide your choices. These could include anything that affects your life positively: improving your relationships, working on your financial wellness, or getting the promotion you’ve been working toward.

Being intentional could also mean writing in a journal instead of scrolling on your phone, or choosing to move to a new city when the old one stops feeling like home. Intentionality looks different to everyone, and it’s up to you to set your goals and decide what’s important to you.

It’s impossible to be intentional and make the right decisions every time, but putting in the effort can get you on the right track. Making intentional choices helps you build good habits and find your purpose.

Why is being intentional important?

Making intentional choices can improve mental fitness and help you surround yourself with the things that matter to you.

Living intentionally can also:

    1. Reduce stress: Making value-based decisions can help improve well-being. When your decisions focus on goals, you’ll get closer to achieving them — and usually, that means avoiding the things that stress you out.
    2. Boost resilience: One study showed that when college students practiced intentional decision-making, they experienced increased levels of resilience.
    3. Improve focus: Being intentional means making actions that matter to you, and removing distractions from your life — like people with toxic traits — can help you focus. Clear your mind and concentrate on the people and things that are truly important to you.
    4. Become more present: Intentional decisions center on what’s happening in your life right now and how you want to improve it, instead of worrying about what-ifs.
    5. Encourage optimism: Being intentional also means focusing on the good things you already have. Practicing gratitude can help you develop a positive perspective and build hope for the future.
    6. Set healthy boundaries: An intentional mindset helps you to say no to people and situations that drain your energy. When you protect your energy, you choose experiences that bring you joy and comfort.

Skills for intentional living

Being intentional in your daily life requires consistent effort. Making intentional actions a habit is easier said than done, but those little decisions will add up. Here are some skills to focus on for an intentional lifestyle.

    • Self-awareness: Examine your behavior to see whether your actions match your core values and priorities. Self-reflection techniques can help you develop the insight you need to get in touch with your emotions and decisions.
    • Gratitude: When you’re grateful for the things you have, you can better recognize and later prioritize them. Setting up a regular gratitude practice is a good way to start.
    • Organization: Tidying your space and scheduling your time intentionally leads to a more purposeful day-to-day routine. Staying organized boosts concentration and helps you get more done to reach your goals.
    • Determination: Building an intentional life can be challenging, and everybody makes mistakes. Determination and resilience are important skills on the path to intentional living — especially when things don’t go your way.

10 ways to be more intentional

Challenge yourself to incorporate one or two intention-building habits into your schedule. Even small steps can improve your life. Here are a few simple ways to learn how to be intentional and create practices that help you reach your goals.

1. Set measurable goals

Knowing your values and setting clear goals based on those values will help you live more intentionally. If you want to become more generous, find ways to involve generosity in your daily choices, and set measurable intentions. Try doing at least one generous thing every day or for a different person in your life every week.

Think about times you’ve been generous in the past: being there for an upset friend, volunteering your time on the weekends, or donating money to charity. Reflecting on these events visualizes your progress and gives you an idea of how to improve.

2. Establish a daily routine

Create consistent, intentional morning and evening routines to bookend your day. Intentional habits that structure your day around your goals will move you closer to them. If one of your priorities is to develop healthier eating habits, you could prepare a healthy breakfast before getting ready for bed.

Making this part of your routine matches your intention to eat healthy. Plus, you don’t have to worry about making breakfast in the morning and can instead focus on another intentional action, like practicing gratitude or exercising.

3. Strengthen your relationships

Finding time to invest in your most important relationships can be tricky when you’re feeling overwhelmed with day-to-day living. But strong, healthy connections with supportive people are a great way to stay accountable and feel encouraged when it comes to intentional living.

Spend time with the family and friends who support you, and distance yourself from the people who stress you out.

4. Make a vision board

Creating a visual representation of your goals reminds you of what you’re working toward. Build a vision board that focuses on your goals, whether they’re career-related, financial, or extracurricular.

Add images and quotations that match to remind you what you’re working toward and why. Even a sticky note on your mirror can be enough to remind you.

5. Declutter your space

Think about the items that populate the spaces you use the most, like your office or bedroom. If they don’t add value, pass them along to friends or donate them to charity. You’ll free up space for things that make you happy.

The knick-knacks on your desk might look nice, but they could distract you from being intentional at work and entering a good flow state.

6. Make deliberate spending choices

It can be fun and exciting to buy new things, but spending too much can drain your finances and clutter your home. Instead, spend money on items and experiences that match your values.

If you’re focused on improving your office space, treat yourself to a better desk chair instead of new clothes you’ll never wear. This will improve your financial wellness and let you spend on what really matters.

7. Don’t waste time

It’s easy to stretch yourself thin. There are only 24 hours in the day, so use them wisely, and remember to take time for yourself. Try not to say “yes” to things that don’t serve you and your goals. If you’re tired and want to prioritize rest, it’s okay to say no to a late-night party.

Spend your limited time on the things that matter most to you: your relationships, goals, and priorities.

8. Monitor your mental health

Be aware of your emotions and state of mind. Automatic thoughts and feelings shouldn’t be ignored or repressed. They’re a sign that something is out of balance, and you need to address that.

If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, try to find the root of the problem and seek help if you need to.

9. Focus on yourself

Your life is your own, and your opinion is the most important one. Try not to worry about disappointing others or what people think. It’s okay to ask friends, family, and mentors for advice. But if you’re too worried about their words, or their opinions taking you further from what matters, refocus.

Remind yourself that your needs and goals take priority.

10. Stay positive

You can’t make lasting changes if you’re always thinking in the negative. Change your mindset and start looking for the positives. Even if you made a mistake, you learned something from it, which is a good thing. You don’t have to be happy all the time — nobody is.

But even when facing challenging times, a positive mental attitude can make a difference, especially when it comes to intentional living.

Start living intentionally

Being intentional every day takes practice. Keep your end goals at the forefront of everything you do, from making breakfast in the morning to accepting a job offer. The more you make intentional decisions, the easier it becomes.

It’s never too late to focus on the actions that matter to you. Start small and build up from there, Tidy up your office, replace an old appliance, or do a digital detox — whatever it takes to focus your energy and place yourself on a path that excites you.

Source: betterup.com ~ By Allaya Cooks-Campbell ~ Image: Canva Pro

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