At this time of year, we all look to the new year with the hope it will bring us more joy, success, and better results. We examine ourselves, dissect our lives and decide what we want to cut out, do more of or obtain to make our lives better. So when we get to the end of the following year, we can feel great about the ‘new and improved’ us.
In reality, though, what generally happens is that we make our New Year’s resolutions, break them, and then feel guilty and disappointed in ourselves—often giving up on the resolution altogether.
While only a handful of studies have been conducted over the years on our ability to stick to our new year’s resolutions*, these studies generally agree that many people abandon their new year’s resolutions within the first month. Almost all abandon their resolutions by the year’s-end.
So, what if we set intentions instead?
Making intentions rather than resolutions can be one of the most powerful tools to help us achieve our goals. Rather than focusing on a specific action or quantifiable achievement you may or may not reach, it’s about embodying the attitudes and behaviours necessary to make a significant shift, leading to the change you want. It is like committing to an attitude that supports your desired results.
Resolutions are often more definitive, i.e. ‘I will go to the gym 4 times a week’. But such concrete goals, once broken, leave you feeling ashamed, guilty, or less than, and wanting to give up.
Setting an intention with fitness in mind, however, could look more like this ‘4 times a week, I will engage in physical activity that energizes me. This leaves the possibilities open, allowing you to get in the required physical activity but helping you avoid the guilt should you not get to the gym 4 times that week.
Other examples of what intentions can look like:
Drink a Gallon of Water each day – Rather than making a resolution to drink a gallon of water a day, you might make an intention to nourish your body with healthy beverages.
Read a book a week- Instead of vowing to read a book a week, you can make an intention to open yourself up to learning new perspectives and expanding your understanding of the world in some capacity each week. This enables you to achieve your goals but provides you with the flexibility to listen to podcasts, take an online course, visit a museum, or watch a documentary.
Why setting intentions are more effective than making resolutions.
While both resolutions and intentions involve setting a goal for oneself, the main difference is the approach with which you go about achieving it.
Intentions get to the core of what you want, align with your intrinsic values and provide a guiding light for your behaviours and decisions as you navigate the year. They empower you to pivot and change tac, liberating you from the narrow constraints of resolutions. As intentions align with your core needs and wants, they often allow you to sustain your motivation. Unlike resolutions that can feel heavy, rigid and demotivating should you break them.
How can you go about setting your intentions?
The best way to set intentions is to reflect on what you truly desire in the upcoming year rather than coming up with an arbitrary list of actions.
Once you have identified your intention, think of ways you can build in flexibility so that you will still reach your goal, but it is not rigid in its application, instead acting more as a guiding light to how you live your life for the year.
Finally, remember that setting an intention should feel empowering, not restrictive or stressful.
So, this year, instead of setting resolutions that may or may not stick, why not set yourself up for success by trying intention setting? With creativity, mindfulness and commitment, you can make 2023 a fantastic year!
What intention will you set for yourself this year?
* most studies were conducted with small sample sizes, low follow-up, and frequency, meaning there is no definitive data to draw upon as the best frame of reference.