In my coaching practice, setting intentions has come up enough in the last 3.5 years that I’ve taken noticed. I love the frame of setting intentions rather than, say, New Year resolutions, as the feel is much different. Of course, we know certain roads are paved with good intentions, which is why the rubber needs to hit the road in the form of follow through.
As I’ve sat with the premise of setting intentions, I can see a few different areas where intentions can help you stay on track and focused.
STRAIGHT AND TRUE — Having powerful intentions as anchor points can keep external influences and nonsense off your back. You can be insulated because your intentions will be your North Star to focus you on what you’ll do with your time and resources. Intentions can help prevent you from keeping sucked into the noise, narratives, and rumors that are all around you.
RESCUE ME — When you find yourself in a tough spot where you’re struggling to stay positive or experiencing some sort of challenge, your intentions can help you re-center on what’s important right now. If you’re caught up in the drama or complaining of others, grab your own intention-based lifeline to pull yourself out of the muck and mire.
LIFT OFF — Use your intentions to create momentum to strive for what you’ve told yourself you want. We’re talking about the powerful intrinsic fuel you’re creating and are acting with. Maybe you feel stuck, a bit lackadaisical, or even scared to make a move. Intentions are a powerful vehicle for reminding you why you started in the first place.
Intentions help shape how you want to show up in the world, yet their situational use is important to recognize and leverage. Stay true to yourself and your future by not only making intentions but living them in the ways I’ve described and perhaps in others you have experienced. Take ownership in your life by regularly refining or updating your intentions and strive to make them become a reality. Go forth and be bold.
Matt Wallat serves as a District Ranger with the National Park Service (NPS) in Colorado. His 20-year career spans eight different NPS units in six different states with assignments in patrol, investigations, program development, court liaison, training officer, and supervisor for 11+ years.
With a strong background in employee development, Matt is an active agency instructor/presenter, continues to evolve with his coaching practice, creates leadership training opportunities, engages in curriculum design work, and led a recent international training program in Tanzania.
He enjoys family time and many other interests including fly fishing, creative DIY projects, music, craft beer and Boston sports.
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