Setting the right goals for your business is a must, if you want your business to succeed and grow. Not only does goal setting help you get clear on the things you want, it also helps increase your motivation and productivity. But just because you set a goal, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve got enough desire and drive to want to achieve it – and this is where intention comes into play.
Intention is the part that is often unintentionally missed out of your goal setting strategy. It’s the personal and often internal reason why you want something. If you’ve ever achieved a goal you wanted but felt hollow and empty as a result – it’s a sign you forgot to infuse some intention into that goal.
The downside of goal setting
The goals you set are often based on wanting something in the future, that you don’t currently have. Usually, goals are those external achievements you want, that you can measure, in terms of results.
But the downside is you’re aiming for something you want in the future. They’re highlighting something you haven’t yet got and, because they’re future-focused, this can often produce feelings of lack in the present.
Example goals business owners wish to achieve, include things like hitting £30,000 revenue by the end of year two in business, or building their email list to 10,000 subscribers. They’re great sounding goals and it’s understandable that you’ll want to achieve them.
However, at our core we all want connection and purpose in life. Reaching these types of goal isn’t going to make you feel more connected or that you’re living your purpose. This is why, when you eventually reach your desired goal, you often don’t feel any different. Often, you’re actually left with feelings of emptiness, because you haven’t addressed those core needs.
Want more help on how to set successful goals? Take a read of this blog on how to avoid the main goal setting mistakes business owners make – and what to do instead.
Intention – a critical part of your goal setting strategy
If you want to address those core needs and feel truly happy that you’ve reached your goals, you need to add in intention.
Your intentions are the values you have and what matters most to you. If goals focus on the external things you want, intention focuses on the internal – the relationship you have with yourself and others.
Intentions are rooted in the present moment. They are based on how you want to feel now and the daily actions you can take to achieve those feelings – they’re about enjoying the journey, not just the outcome.
Intentions are less tangible, so would include things like wanting to have a solid reputation in your niche, so you can be seen as a business that offers real value and solutions to your clients and peers. You may want to grow your business in a way that helps you support your clients as they grow their businesses, or build solid relationships with your clients, so you can show you care about their success as much as your own. Maybe you want to be ethical in your business practices or want to grow a profitable business that enables you to support you and your family.
Goal setting with intention
If you want to set successful goals, you need to goal set with intention. Goals give you a destination, whilst your intentions give you the why; the way you want to be and live, and the feelings you want to experience whilst on the way to that desired end result. In other words, your intentions give you the purpose, drive and desire to show up on a daily basis and work on achieving your goals.
So, an example of a goal set with intention could be to make 4 sales a week, with the intention of engaging daily with your audience. You know that this engagement means you can have a deeper connection and a better relationship with your target market, so you can better understand their needs and know how to offer them even more value.
Setting the right goals for your business is a must and, if you want to have goals that work, you need to set them with intention at the core. You can then ramp up your drive and determination to achieve those goals – but also know that you’ll enjoy the journey and the end destination, once you get there.
Here’s a great piece by meaningfulpaths.com on 10 year plan vision setting.
If you’d like a helping hand to reach your desired goals, check out the Services we offer and see how we can help. And when you’re ready, book in a call to discuss your requirements – and let’s get you reaching those goals faster!
