Onward, Upward
Issue 1-2011
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS VERSUS INTENTIONS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
I don’t know about you, but when I think back over the years about exuberantly proclaiming New Year’s
resolutions on January 1, I find that I lose my enthusiasm for them by February. I finally discovered that
the whole idea of setting resolutions is actually a self‐defeating process. In fact, research related to
setting resolutions and intentions confirms that people predominantly set themselves up for failure
even before they get started.
What is a resolution?
When boiled down, a resolution is an artificial need. It’s the creation of a thought that makes us want to
be different, by doing things such as spending more time with our family, going to the gym, or losing
weight. In a business context they might include things such as developing a better relationship with our
boss, delegating more often, micromanaging less, or building stronger peer relationships. We suffer with
the perception that these artificial needs will make us feel better, influence those around us, or bring us
recognition. These needs are usually influenced by our ego, and what it says it “wants” to do. However,
our ego is not typically in line with our consciousness, which often has a completely different agenda,
which is the pursuit of external power and/or control. In the end, resolutions often set us up for the
exact opposite result we originally hoped for.
Intentions are different
An intention is an authentic need. Setting intentions can be extremely powerful agents to achieve real
change in our lives. When developed effectively intentions are compelling and inspiring and can set the
stage for personal transformation, resonant relationships, and fulfillment. Intentions are the pursuit of
authentic internal power. Best‐selling author, Gary Zukav, refers to creating authentic power as “the
alignment of your personality with your soul”. So, how can you successfully align you personality with
your soul?
The first step is examining your life over the past year.
Intentions that help you focus
Imagine the past year of your life as an arrow heading toward a specific target, a target that you set and
missed. Identify what deflected the arrow, and then set your intentions to change it. Setting intentions
requires discovering the parts of your body that create destructive or sabotaging consequences in your
life, and changing those parts. By focusing and then naming your actions you change these parts,
consequently, your life’s trajectory changes towards its greatest potential.
Intentions that move you
Your personal movement begins the moment you name an intention. That intention sets direction,
inspires a sense of purpose, and sparks images of new possibilities. Ultimately, we act from an inner
calling that awakens both our head and our heart. This awakening creates an image of our future, which
aligns our intentions with action.
Intentions that call out to you
To uncover clear intentions, tune in. Listen to your own voice. What are you hearing and sensing in and
around yourself? What matters to you? Ask yourself questions that draw out deep longings.
Disturbance, and particularly crisis, can accelerate the quest for clear intentions. When the World Trade
Center towers fell in New York on September 11, 2001, many people clarified or reaffirmed their
initiatives and purposes, which coalesced into meaningful intentions that called out to all of us.
Intentions are about choices
Clear intentions ignite life energy. The clearer the image is, of what we wish to create, the more every
choice we make will reflect our focus. Our life’s journey is all about choices, but taking the journey isn’t
a choice. We only choose when the journey will begin, and how we will treat each other and ourselves
along the way.
It takes commitment, courage, compassion, conscious communication, and conscious action to set
powerful and authentic intentions that align your personality with your soul. 2011 is not just the start of
a new year, but also the start of a new decade. It’s a great time to remind yourself that only you are
responsible for the “trajectory of your arrow”, and only you have the internal power to change.
To your success in 2011!
