Goal-setting is an important part of coaching and achieving behavior change. Goals are important for clarifying desires, uncovering action steps to achieve those desires, and having a plan to stay on track. However, goals can be vague and superficial, while intentions open up a path for deep, sustainable change. Rather than doing something because you feel you have to, intentionality is a mindset shift that enables internal transformation. Let’s consider the mindsets behind goal-setting and intentionality!

New Year's Resolutions & The Scarcity Mindset

The start of the year always accompanies the idea of starting over, resolving past errors, and making efforts toward living healthier and happier. In theory it’s not all bad, but it’s often cloaked in toxic standards of perfection that stem from a scarcity mindset, and often sets us up for failure.  

New Year New Me 

The idea of a full overhaul on self can be enticing, especially if you’re in a place where you don’t feel your best. People seek coaching because they want to achieve massive transformation in their lives! Desiring transformation is not the issue, but how we go about attempting that transformation depends a lot on mentality. This idea of “new year, new me” implies that you are inherently wrong and need to be fixed – that the “old you” is not good enough.

Toxic Standards of Perfection 

The scarcity mindset focuses on what’s missing, what’s wrong, and what’s not enough. It can be debilitating to occupy a “negative” headspace. Perfectionism stems from scarcity – that in order for something to be good it must be perfect. However, humans are imperfect by default and the concept of “perfect” is a myth. 

New Year’s Revolution & The Abundant Mindset 

Instead of resolving to be a different person, let’s revolt that thinking and transition into abundance! The abundant mindset confirms that there is enough for everyone, that we don’t have to be in competition with each other (or ourselves), and that we have everything we need to thrive, just by being alive. 

Instead of identifying everything that is not, wrong, or missing, the abundant mindset sees what is - what is right, what is there, what can be, still. You are enough, you are whole, and you are capable of making changes if you want to, but should not be because you feel you are not good enough as you are. The system of capitalism thrives on the scarcity mindset – guaranteeing that if you work more, buy more, conform more, that you will be successful. It completely discounts the inherent deservingness of all of us. 

Fixed Goals vs Intentionality 

Goals and intentions are essentially the same thing – an aim toward a desired outcome. “Goals” are usually associated with a fixed end point, while “intentions” are more of a mentality, or an energetic force. Living with intention invites sustainable change while goals tend to end when they’ve been checked off the list. 

Consider how different these scenarios are, even though the desired outcome is similar.

Setting a fixed goal sounds like: 

• “I’ll lose 20 pounds.” 
• “I’ll go to the gym every day.” 
• “I’ll stop drinking soda.”

**Setting an intention sounds like: ** 

• “I’ll make supportive choices when deciding what to eat.” 
• “I’ll listen to my body and move in ways that feel nourishing and loving.” 
• “I intend to drink water when I want to drink soda.” 

It’s important to consider the “why” behind the goal. What are the motivations, internally and externally, for achieving this goal? By setting intentions instead of goals, other routes for achieving these goals open up and those desires can come to fruition in a variety of ways allowing the change to happen internally vs checking off external tasks. 

Setting SMART Goals

Goal-setting is not inherently bad or wrong, either. Real, sustainable change happens with goals, but usually when goals are SMART, which are helpful to identify what exactly you’re aiming for and realistically how you can get there. 

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time-bound 

Consider the difference between: “I will lose 20 pounds” and “I will walk for 15 minutes on my lunch break three times a week”. The first goal is specific, measurable, and technically attainable but it may not be realistic and it’s not time-bound, so there’s no definitive on when or how that weight will come off. 

What are some goals you have for transforming yourself into your best self? Do you want to move more, eat better, feel happier and healthier? What does that actually look like for you? Next time you think about setting a goal, consider the intention behind it and how you can make it a SMART goal so that you can feel confident in and connected to your desires without the shame and guilt that often accompanies a vague and externally motivated goal. 

Practice making SMART goals with this free worksheet!

Wanna chat more about this? Let’s connect! Set up a free 30-min Cool, Confident, and Connected Discovery Session to see how we fit for coaching. 

Take care out there, 

Nat