Intentions

A working definition of intention is “to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim.” If you lack intention, you may stray without meaning or direction; a race without a plan can turn into a shuffle on the run. Identifying your goals will give you an advantage over your competitors, whether in sport, work or elsewhere. When athletes ask me for advice, it is always my intention to transform the conversation around dreams, hope and possibilities and away from fear and doubt. Once the athlete states his aspiration, we discuss action steps that get him to the end result.

It is essential to identify the outcome you seek. Be it for your race or your job, you need to be able to clearly communicate the outcome to yourself and to others. To do so, think outside the box and dream just above your expectations. Outcomes can range from major career objectives to improving your swim time in your next triathlon. Your intentions will assist you in taking greater control of your life and manifesting your dreams.

Some might say this is not the right time to dream. Your friends and the masses say, “It’s time to be realistic.” Consider this: without our dreams all we have is our present reality. Reality is not a bad thing. We have to know where we are so we can design the appropriate strategy for getting to where we want to be, during a race that would translate into that “in the moment feeling”. The challenge is your attitude around “reality” and being “realistic” and what being realistic has cost you. Often reality has cost us our passion and joy, our hopes and dreams.

When should you set an intention? You could set an intention every day. Given the unknowns and sometimes craziness of life, there’s never been a more important time to dream; and setting your intention is the first step. When you set an intention and then act on it to demonstrate your commitment, amazing things occur. Intention can also give us fortitude for dealing with tough times.

People set intentions on all kinds of dreams; to get married or have children, to get a job or make a career change, to write a book, lose weight, or do (another) ironman. Others could intend to work less and make more, or to find a new career that you are passionate about. It could be to get healthy and physically fit, or to spend more quality time with loved ones or alone. It can be specific and about something in particular or more like a quality, such as to be more relaxed or involved in life.

You then need to ask yourself what resources are necessary to get there. What you need is action steps or a map to define clearly the skills and strategies necessary to get the desired result. Let’s take triathlon as an example. How long will it take to learn to get stronger on the bike? Are the resources available? What are the specific steps necessary and by when are you expected to reach the goal? Once you know the skill or skills to be developed, implement a plan. Having a coach is extremely useful in setting up a training schedule that fits your needs as an athlete.

Where lots of us fail, is in the execution of the plan, the moment where an occurrence takes over and you take the backseat. Having the mindset and willingness to get the job done no matter what is what separates the intent from the action. You’ll find a road with all the surprises life can offer, every turn can be a shock, sometimes even a nightmare. Your intention should be to live through this process with dignity and grace, all while being tested daily. It’s often not easy, but this intention will help you maintain composure, sanity, and on a good day, a sense of humor. Intention can be used for community or social issues, global events or literally in your own backyard.

After you have set targets, assessed the skill requirements and set out a plan, it’s helpful to put your intentions in writing. Depending on the size and breadth of the project, your goal might have many checkpoints or opportunities for feedback and assessment. Once you’ve outgrown that experience it’s time to look beyond and continue setting new goals.

Dream big,