Intentions + Goals: A Recipe for Success
As the new year approaches, many of the founders and executives we work with have spent the past few months in overdrive, collaborating with their teams to finalize business growth plans and OKRs for the year ahead. Yet, when it comes to prioritizing their own growth as leaders—and as individuals—most fall short.
Does this resonate?
“Your level of success will seldom exceed your level of personal development.”
One reason for this is that many leaders jump right into listing out resolutions (not the same as goal-setting, by the way) just before—and often just after—the New Year. It’s no surprise, really. We’ve all been conditioned to see resolutions as the go-to strategy for starting fresh. And for high-achieving executives, listing action-items comes easy—after all, DOING is their comfort zone.
We suggest a different, more robust way to ensure a successful next twelve months, starting with reflection and then moving into intention-setting before even thinking about specific goals. Both practices are often skipped – and not simply because of the time constraints that executives claim, but more often because of the associated discomfort. Setting SMART goals, after all, is much easier than examining and contemplating how you want to show up and who you aim to be.
Reflection and intention-setting are also commonly dismissed as too “soft” for the data driven business world. We discuss the data around reflection here, so let’s focus on the science of intention setting.
The Science Behind Intentions
The interplay between our mind and physical actions is not just a philosophical concept, but a scientifically verified fact. The power of conscious intention is more than just a motivational tool; it's a driver of tangible change and action. A notable study by Angus SD & Newton J underscores this, revealing that the practice of intention-setting played a crucial role in the development of early human cognitive abilities. This research implies that our ancestors' ability to set and focus on specific intentions may have been a key factor in evolving complex thought processes and decision-making skills.
Supporting this, the field of neuroplasticity offers compelling insights into how the brain's structure and function are not fixed but are malleable and responsive to our experiences, including our intentions and thoughts. This adaptability of the brain suggests that intentionally directed thought can foster significant neural changes, enabling us to develop new behaviors and skills. The implications of this are profound for personal development and leadership, suggesting that our capacity for change, growth, and achieving goals is directly influenced by the intentions we set and focus on.
Setting Intentions
So what exactly is the difference between setting an intention and setting a goal? Intentions are more about who you want to be and how you want to live and feel, rather than just what you want to achieve. They serve as guiding themes, providing focus, purpose, and motivation.
While intentions can certainly guide goals, they can also be less structured, making room for us to challenge assumptions, create new possibilities and find additional pathways. This can be really useful as we are in VUCA (“volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous”) times when predicting and planning SMART goals can be difficult.
Consider these prompts for intention-setting, and take the time to not only reflect deeply but also write down your thoughts. Research by Dr. Gail Matthews found that participants who wrote down their intentions and goals were 42% more likely to achieve them.
What really matters to me moving into 2025?
What do I want MORE of in my life? What do I want LESS of?
How do I want to FEEL in 2025? How do I not want to FEEL?
Who do I want to BE in 2025?
What kind of leader do I want to be?
What kind of partner do I want to be?
What kind of parent do I want to be?
What kind of x do I want to be?
Of course, Intention-setting isn’t just for long-term planning. It’s also a powerful daily practice. Starting your day with an intention can help you set the tone, align your actions with your values, and prepare you to show up as the leader you aspire to be. Some of our most high-performing executive clients even use intentions to navigate specific situations, like difficult conversations or high-stakes meetings. Many extend this practice to their teams, starting important meetings by setting a shared intention to foster focus, alignment, and purpose.
Question to Kickstart an Epic 2025
Once you have set your intentions for the year, take time to reflect deeply (and, as always, write down) your answers to the following five questions.
What 3-5 things (personal and/or professional) will I be able to say I accomplished at the end of 2025 to consider it a great year?
What do I want to learn?
What do I want to let go of? What no longer serves me?
What 3 behaviors/skill sets do I want to improve to become a better leader?
What personal self-care and well-being habits will help me sustain my health and well-being and optimize my energy and creativity?
By considering what you want to achieve, learn, let go of, improve, and sustain, you uncover the areas that matter most to your personal and professional growth. These questions are not only a springboard for more specific goal-setting, they are also commitments in their own right—reminders of the habits, behaviors, and focus areas that will guide your daily actions.
The Goal Achievement Blueprint
Review your answers to the Intention-Setting and New Year Kickoff Questions to identify 3-5 key goals or development areas that align with your priorities and aspirations for the year ahead. To help you turn these goals into actionable, achievable plans, we’ve developed a goal achievement blueprint—used by hundreds of our Executive clients—to transform your vision into measurable progress and success.
“A goal without a plan is just a wish. ”
STEP 1: Get to the Heart of the Goal
Goal-setting is a far more comprehensive exercise than simply compiling a list of tasks, action-items, or resolutions.
True goal-setting starts by uncovering the why—the deeper purpose and motivation behind the actions and achievements you envision for the New Year. Ask yourself, “Why is this important to me?” and “What difference will achieving this goal make in my life?”
Once you’ve identified the core reasons for your goal or developmental objective , take time to consider the broader context and the factors that will influence your journey.
What strengths do I currently possess that will help me achieve this goal?
What potential obstacles might arise—internally (like self-doubt) or externally (like quarterly benchmarks)?
What resources, tools, or support might I need to overcome these challenges?
Note: These similarly insightful questions are common in managerial coaching and align with the GROW framework (Goal, Reality, Options/Obstacles, Will/Way Forward).
By uncovering the reason driving your desired outcome and reflecting on the broader context, you move beyond surface-level goal-setting, creating a clear and intentional foundation for meaningful progress and sustained growth.
STEP 2: Craft Your Action Plan
Once you’ve carefully laid out your goal, your why, and the context, it’s time to map out a clear action plan. This step is about defining what you need to do to achieve your goal. Break your goal into actionable components and identify the specific steps required to make progress. For example, if your goal is to "improve your fitness and energy levels," actionable steps might include "attend a fitness class three times a week" or "prepare meals at home five days a week." Similarly, if your goal is to "become a more empathetic leader," your plan might include steps like "schedule weekly one-on-one check-ins with team members" or "complete a leadership workshop by June."
Assign realistic timelines to each milestone and think comprehensively about the skills, behaviors, and mindset necessary to execute your plan. Commit to frequency and target dates for key actions, ensuring your roadmap is both structured and achievable.
This step ensures clarity on what needs to be done and provides a clear roadmap to guide your efforts. Remember, the journey is as important as the destination—build in meaningful rewards to celebrate milestones and maintain motivation along the way.
STEP 3: Build a system
While a plan outlines what needs to be done, a system ensures that you follow through. A system provides the structure, routines, and tools that make your actions repeatable and sustainable over time. As James Clear reminds us, "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
To build a system, think about how to integrate your plan into your daily life. What tools, environments, or processes will support consistent action? For example, if your goal is to "improve fitness," your system might include pre-scheduling workouts on your calendar, setting out your gym clothes the night before, and using a habit-tracking app to log your progress. If your goal is to "become a more empathetic leader," your system might include blocking time each week to reflect on key interactions, journaling to track growth, or working with a coach to build emotional intelligence.
Accountability is a critical component of your system. Use tools like spreadsheets or apps to monitor your progress and share your goals with a trusted colleague, friend, or coach. Research shows that sharing your goals can significantly increase your chances of success—potentially doubling them.
STEP 4: Harness the Power of Visualization
With your plan and system in place, embrace the power of visualization. While it may not be a common tool in the average executive’s toolkit, it should be. Trusted by Olympic athletes and supported by scientific research, visualization is a proven technique for accelerating success and achieving your goals.
Close your eyes and vividly imagine achieving your goal. What does it look like? How does it feel? Engage all your senses to create a mental picture that’s as clear and detailed as possible. These moments of visual affirmation, aligned with your intentions, help anchor your focus and should be revisited regularly—especially when challenges arise. Visualization not only strengthens your motivation but also reinforces your commitment, making your goals feel more tangible and achievable.
Leadership is, first and foremost, an inside game. It demands a commitment to personal and professional growth, which directly influences the outside game—the organization’s success in the marketplace. Our planning framework—grounded in reflection, intention-setting, and a goal-achievement system—helps you focus on meaningful areas of development, align your actions with your values, and cultivate sustainable progress. By thoughtfully exploring how you want to show up and what you aim to achieve, you create a clear roadmap and system for reaching your goals and unlocking growth.
Don’t keep this process to yourself—share it with your team. They too must scale alongside the company. By operationalizing the skills of reflection, intention-setting, and goal-setting across your organization, you not only foster alignment but also reinforce a culture of continuous learning and growth. With this intentional approach, you and your team will be well-positioned to thrive in 2025 and beyond.