Do I need to set intentions if I’m already smashing my goals?

Around the new moon, you might see a bunch of witches asking “have you set your intentions?” 

Personally, I hadn’t put much thought into them. I’m a big planner and most of the time I reach my goals. I try to set reasonable expectations for myself so I don’t land in a world of disappointment. So why on earth would I need to set intentions? Isn’t that the same thing? Apparently not.

Have you ever asked yourself “Why do I even try?”

This feeling is one reason setting intentions can be powerful because intentions are something you can control regardless of your progress toward your goals.

The key differences between goals and intentions are:
1) goals are external while intentions are internal.
2) goals are achieved in the future while intentions are realised now.

Setting intentions can help you reach your goals by keeping you focused, and they can help you cope if you don’t reach your goals because if you’re true to yourself you’ll have achieved your intention. 

Intentions are emotional creatures that speak to the essence of our best selves. They are about relationships rather than achievements.

Goals are about having more and being better. Intentions are about being content now and enjoying the journey.

Neither is superior. Intentions and goals can work together. I’m going to use fitness as an example because it’s something important to me that I struggle with.

The goal might be to lose ten kilos. That’s a significant which will take dedication and time. You don’t want to lose all that weight in a couple of weeks because it would put incredible stress on your body, and your chance of gaining it back would be astronomical.

So, do you just live those weeks or months hating yourself? Do you show up at the gym with the mindset of punishing yourself for getting in this condition? Is that healthy? Enjoyable? Motivating? Pfft, no.

As a way of bringing balance, you would set a complimentary intention, such as: love myself as I am. You might even set a few:

• Love myself
• Treat myself kindly
• Speak gently to and about myself
• Walk as much as possible

With these intentions and the mindset supported by them, going to the gym becomes an act of self-care. Eating the salad you packed last night instead of the food court fried rice becomes an act of love, rather than punishment.

You love yourself. You love your body. You don’t have to be perfect; you don’t have to have achieved all your goals to be worthy of love. You’re already worthy. And you don’t need to give up on your goals because you have intentions, either.

Being happy in the present doesn’t mean you won’t find fulfilment in the career change you’re planning. Loving yourself how you are doesn’t mean you stop working towards greater fitness and that half-marathon you’ve been dreaming about. It just means you’re choosing happiness.

Pop “when’s the next new moon?” into your search engine if you want the universe’s assistance in your intention setting, or if you just missed it, start now. It’s never too soon to be happy.

Miriam Cumming is a mum, author, and witch who loves to plan with stickers. She’d write a decent bio, but Elen is desperate to go to the park so this will have to do. “Set intentions” stickers are available at Moonfire and Silver.