Sick of setting resolutions that fail?
What’s the difference between resolutions and intentions? Between plans and goals?
Resolutions come from a desire to change. When we’re trying to create positive change in our lives, the differences between resolutions, intentions, goals and plans are really important! Just as important is how all these things work together to make change possible.
So, as we’re all jumping into 2022 with hopes for a great year ahead, let’s take a deeper look at how resolutions, intentions, plans and goals help us turn our hopes into reality.
The Tools for Change
Imagine having a Positive Change Toolbox…where you keep all the tools that help you stay aligned with your hopes for building the best self you can. You’d find resolutions, intentions, plans and goals in that toolbox. Just like a screwdriver has a very different purpose than a hammer, each of these tools has their own special purpose in the process of change.
Resolutions are the seeds of change
New Year’s resolutions are familiar to all of us. At some point in your life, you’ve likely set a resolution for yourself on New Year’s eve. When we set a resolution, we often say “I want to ____.” Resolutions identify something we want to accomplish. For example, I might want to run more in 2022, and so I set the resolution “In 2022, I want to run more.”
Resolutions express what we want
Resolutions are a great starting point for change, but on their own, they’re really tough to stick to. We’ve all been there…setting an awesome resolution on New Year’s and then totally forgetting about it by February. Why is this? Well, oftentimes we leave out the motivation that drives our resolutions and the specific actions needed to achieve them.
Intentions = motivation
Intentions shine as the tool we need to understand the “Why?” behind our resolutions or wants. They are the foundation and motivation for any positive change we create in our lives. Setting intentions is so important for following through with something we want to do, but they require us to dig a little deeper into the person we want to be or become.
When I say “I want to run more,” there’s a deeper motivation behind that want. Maybe I want to run more so that I can lose weight, or be healthier or spend more time outside. Those are all answers to the question “Why is this thing important to me and worth doing?” These answers are intentions; something larger we’re working toward in our lives. If my intention is to become a healthier person, my resolution to run more has a greater purpose of helping me get there.
So, understanding our core intentions gives purpose to the things we want to do. Without them, it’s easy to lose sight of why a change is important to us.
I know my intention…now what?
Intentions and resolutions are amazing tools for change, but they can’t stand alone. We also need a clear focus and structure if we’re going to make real change stick. Here’s where goals and plans come into play.
Goals give intentions focus
Good goals are the “What?” in our toolbox. They give our intentions clear focus and set us up for success. Where resolutions tend to be vague, well-set goals are very specific. Let’s look back at my resolution of “In 2022, I want to run more.” I can turn that resolution into a specific, actionable goal by reframing it like this: “In 2022, I will run 3 miles every Tuesday and Thursday after work.” By turning my resolution into a goal, I now have something I can plan for. Plus, I can also easily see whether I’m staying on track with my intention to become healthier.
Plans put goals into action
If intentions are the “Why?” and goals are the “What?” then plans are the “How?” Goals give our intentions a clear focus that’s ready for action, and this is where plans come in. Plans allow us to put our goals into action, one step at a time.
If my goal is to run twice a week after work, I need to set myself up for success by making it as easy as possible to accomplish those runs. Creating a good plan for going running will do just that. For example, maybe it would be really helpful to bring my running clothes with me to my office, and to find a co-worker or friend who’s willing to run with me once a week. And maybe I also know there’s a 5pm running club on Thursdays hosted by the local gear shop.
My plan to accomplish my goal could then be something like this: “I will run with my friend Anna after work on Tuesdays and I’ll join the 5pm running club on Thursdays. I’ll also bring my running clothes with me to work so I don’t need to go home first.”
The whole toolkit
At this point, I’ve used my whole Positive Change Toolkit to create a really cool shift in my life, working toward the person I want to be or become. I started out with a resolution, and then found purpose and motivation for that resolution by understanding my intention behind it. Once I understood my intention, I was able to set a clear goal for achieving it, and put good plans in place to help me be successful.
It may seem like a long process, but in reality, you probably go through these steps in your mind already without realizing it. Hopefully, this tutorial will help refresh these tools and give you a simple framework for making successful positive changes in your life.
Positive Change Toolkit
If you’ve got a resolution in mind for 2022, try out our Positive Change Toolkit exercise! This exercise is designed to help you build your intentions, goals and plans for making resolutions stick!
For more information on these Tools for Change, check out the awesome article and illustration by the folks at Bullet Journal.
Kelsey
Kelsey Brasseur, INHC
Director of Recovery Programs
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