Setting intentions and achieving them: 8 essential tips for success

Have you started the year by setting yourself some intentions or goals? It’s a great thing to do, but how do you make them realistic and achievable, especially when life gets busy? Forming habits takes time and consistency, and wanting to do it (however much you want it) isn’t the same as actually doing it!

Personally, I’ve set myself a challenge of building ‘creative space’ into my diary. I know that when I make time for creativity it is always very powerful and useful but finding availability in my packed schedule can be difficult. So, this year I am backing up my intention with action and setting aside a minimum of 15 days per quarter in my diary as ‘creative space’.

Creating a protected zone of time to devote to your new goal is very important, but there are other things you can do to help cement your 2025 intentions and ensure they become a permanent enhancement to your life. Here are seven more tips which might help:

1. Make it as easy as possible

Forming new habits is tricky, so what can you do to make it easier? Consider what the barriers are and take steps to remove them. For me it’s about protected diary space so I’m planning ahead now before my calendar gets busy, and blocking out the time I need for creativity.

2. Choose your timing

Whatever your goal is, there’s probably an optimum time in your day, week or month when you’re best placed to work on it. If you’re a morning person, then time set aside at the start of your day is optimal. Or perhaps a quiet evening when you’re in the right headspace to do the work. What about breaking up your day or your week with a lunchtime or mid-week ‘appointment’ to work on your goal? Decide what suits you best and then ringfence the time, making sure it’s non-negotiable.

3. Make it achievable

Unrealistic goals are demotivating, so it’s important that your intentions are achievable. This doesn’t mean they should be easy – it’s good to stretch yourself – but having a doable target will maximise your chances of success. With bigger, more audacious goals, break them down into smaller steps. How do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time!

4. Don’t be afraid to flex

If all goes really well and you’re progressing faster and easier than you originally thought, why not extend your goal? If you’ve accomplished X, there’s no reason why you can’t achieve Y! Equally, if the journey towards your destination is harder than you thought, adjust your expectations by scaling back a little or giving yourself more time. As long as you’re moving forward, it doesn’t matter how small the steps are. Remember, practice makes progress.

5. Choose the right setting

Having the right environment to work on your goal, whether it’s physical or mental work, really matters as it will have a direct impact on your success. What equipment or surroundings would be ideal? Is work, home, or somewhere else the right setting? Having the objects you need to hand, or the right clothing or furnishings, even the right level of noise, will all contribute to the suitability of the space and your ability to achieve your goal.

6. Get support if you need it

Would it help to work with another person? Whether that’s calling on a professional coach or trainer, joining a class of like-minded people or just buddying up with a friend or colleague who has a similar goal, it can really boost your chances of success and make it more fun.

7. Experiment!

If you’re embarking on a brand-new intention, something you’ve never done before, you may not know yet what you really need, so allow yourself the freedom to experiment. Try different times of day, settings, companions and tools until you find what works for you.

Helping clients set intentions and work towards goals is a key part of our mentoring and leadership programmes. If you need support in getting started, or find yourself going offtrack and would benefit from a boost or reset, please get in touch.