Intentions over To-do List

05 July 2023 - 6 mins read time
Tags: Self Mastery Mindfulness Productivity

There is a lot of literature about goals and the goal-setting process, which is seen as the foundation for achieving results and success. However, there is also a growing concern about burnout, both in the corporate world and in personal lives. Could it be that we are working more? Is it the non-stop grind that is causing this? Or perhaps it’s the constant changing of your goals without a clear understanding of why we are pursuing them.

Many discussions revolve around to-do lists and the satisfaction of reaching inbox zero or completing all tasks. The instant dopamine rush from checking off items fuels the desire to repeat the process the next day and the day after. But did those tasks truly move the needle? Did they bring us closer to where we wanted to be? Perhaps some did, but did they achieve the intended goal using the path we wanted to take?

Let’s consider the goal of reaching an island (what). There are different ways to accomplish this goal, each requiring specific actions and strategies. However, what happens if our chosen solution fails halfway through? It can be disappointing and even impact our confidence. Should our happiness be solely tied to reaching the island? The real question lies in understanding why we wanted to go to the island in the first place.

Often, the “why” is connected to our values, which are shaped by our experiences and trial-and-error throughout our lives. So, instead of waiting until we reach the goal, we should build and strengthen our values during the journey itself. To continue building on our existing values or build new ones, we needdeliberate practice and intentional changefrom within.

There could be various intentions behind the goal of going to the island. Maybe you want to explore the island and learn more about its history, or perhaps you seek relaxation, or maybe you want to live on the island.

Let’s say your intention is to explore (why). In that case, you will come up with broken-down goals and focus your energy how you achieve those tasks aligned with your intentions for each. Example below.

Difference between Goal and Intention

Goals are outward-facing, while intentions are inward.

Intentions and goals are two different concepts that are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings.

Intentions are the underlying motivations or reasons behind a person’s actions. They reflect a person’s values, beliefs, and desires. Intentions are often more abstract than goals and may not be easily measurable or specific.

Goals, on the other hand, are specific, measurable targets that a person sets for themselves to achieve. Goals help individuals to focus their efforts and track progress towards a desired outcome. Goals can be short-term or long-term, and they can be related to various areas of life such as career, health, relationships or personal development.

By being clear about our intentions, we align our actions with our internal compass. Even if we don’t achieve the specific goal, we can still experience a personal sense of achievement because we have made progress on our intentions and grown in the process.

A goal could be same for different people, but intention and strategies to achieve that goal could be completely different

Planning weeks and days with Intentions

In my own journey, I’ve been exploring ways to embed more intentionality into my day. Intentions provide a way to center myself throughout the day.

Start of Week Planning:

1. Review goals and intentions for the month
   • Goal: Successfully complete a 5k marathon by the end of the month
   • Intention : Improve over-all fitness and wellbeing
2. Set intentions for the week (limit the number, less is more) each one-liner
   • Intention 1: Build stamina and increase speed
   • Intention 2: Prevent injuries and enhance overall performance
3. Break down the monthly goal into weekly goals
   • Weekly Goal 1: Run a total of 15 miles
   • Weekly Goal 2: Reduce time taken to reach 1miles by a min
   • Weekly Goal 3: Engage in strength training exercises twice a week for overall fitness and injury prevention
4. Define tasks to achieve those goals, aligning with your intentions
   • Task 1 : Set schedule for running daily
   • Task 2 : Get a bottle from the store for hydration on Monday
   • Task 3 : Perform 30 push ups on Monday and Wednesday

Daily Planning:

1. Set daily intentions (limit the number )
   • Intention : Improve cardiovascular fitness
2. Refine your tasks to align with the intention
   • Task 1 : Go for a 3 mile run at 5 am today
3. Throw away or change any tasks that doesn’t align with your intention

I use daily journal + planning to capture these intentions as below and update my TODO List

"Start of the Day Thoughts"
- One thing I am excited about right now <>
- I am feeling <>

"😇 Intentions"

"📝 Notes"

"End of the Day Thoughts"
- One thing I felt good about <>
- One thing I struggled <>
- I am feeling <>

End of Week Reflection:

1. Celebrate the wins, however small they might have been
2. Note down activities that drained you and those that energized you
3. Measure your progress so far towards your monthly goal and make any necessary adjustments
4. Take a moment to express gratitude and appreciation for the opportunities, experiences, and people in your life
5. Finally, review your intentions for the week and see if they are aligned with your values. Note any new emerging patterns in your intentions that you can review during monthly or quarterly reflections

Combining these reflections with your quarterly or yearlygoals and intentionswill help in the long term, setting the course for mastering self-awareness and mindful living.