Putting your intentions into action

by Lisa Petty

In our instant society, where we can have a microwaved roast beef dinner with all the fixings in 30 seconds, video of your child singing in the high school musical uploaded to YouTube a split second after the curtain closes, and the results of an internet IQ test in the blink of an eye, it's no wonder that some people might consider this universal law to be so much hooey. Think something into existence? Okay. I think I'm a billionaire. Oops. Not so fast. There's a little more to it than that.

The other day, I wanted my lawn to be mowed. I thought about having a well-manicured lawn. I imagined how tidy my house would look, how my neighbours across the road and on each side would look out their windows and get a sense of peace from their view. I imagined how my lawn would smell after it was cut. I envisioned how I would feel when the work was done – how relaxed I would be, what a sense of accomplishment I would experience.

And do you know what happened next? I went outside and mowed my lawn. In a matter of 30 minutes, I had everything I had envisioned. Did I get instant results? Did the lawn fairy suddenly appear and "poof" my lawn into ship-shape? Did my hunky neighbour surprise me and cut the lawn when I wasn't looking? Nope. (Mostly because I don't have a hunky neighbour.) Instead, I set my intention, and then I followed it up with action.

Setting an intention is just a new age- term for 'goal setting.' It's crucial to understand what your goal is, in vivid colour. Asking yourself how it will look and feel when you've achieved it helps to flesh out your vision. In the fleshing out, you discover new opportunities and new challenges you may not have considered otherwise.

But it's the action step that trips us up most of the time. If we give the power of intention a shot, if we create a vision board, state and re-state our affirmations, and act 'as if' we have what we want, we've only taken the first step. It's the next step that counts, and the one after that. It doesn't matter what your goal is (securing the sale; a successful business; the ideal life partner), you can't intend it into existence.

It doesn't even matter if you take the perfect step. The key is taking some action. In fact, if we wait until the opportunity to take the perfect step presents itself, we might be waiting a very long time. Putting action into your intention not only feels a heck of a lot better than sitting around doing nothing, but it also shows the Universe you are serious. And in taking you seriously, the Universe might bring you something even better than you could have possibly imagined.

I'm reminded of a joke about a man who really wanted to win the lottery. He prayed about it, night after night. He visualized what it would be like to win; what he would do with the money. Finally, one night, after fervent prayers to win the prize, he heard the voice of God respond, "Then buy a darn ticket!" The Ontario lottery commercial got it right: you can't win if you don't play.

So, go ahead and create your intention. Create it completely. Then do something. Take a course. Write a business plan. Sign up for an online dating service. Back your intention with action that is in alignment with your goals. For example, if you create the intention to be fit, it's counterproductive to join the Cake of the Week club.

Be sure to let go of any expectation about time-table for the big stuff. It will come at the perfect time – which likely won't be in the blink of an eye. •