INTENTIONS:How They Support You On Your Path

We always begin by setting an intention.  

Have you noticed that many teachers of yoga or meditation, life coaches and therapists  and other such guides begin by inviting you to set your intention:  “What is your intention for today?” (or this week or this session….)

Both ancient and contemporary ideas point to the transformative power of intention, of consciously inclining the mind toward something and repeatedly noticing, thinking about or behaving in line with our intention.

Intentions focus our behaviors and bring a sense of meaning or purpose to what we’re doing. They become a touchstone or home base. They remind us of what is important to us and help us build discipline. They can also be measurable, helping us notice and honor our inner progress and development.

How intentions work

The neurological component

Setting an intention works in part because it primes your brain to be aware of opportunities and activities that support your objective.  

Priming is a well known cognitive function.  If the mind and brain have recently responded to a stimulus, such as recognizing a particular color or word, that recent neurological processing has the effect of priming --- preparing us -- for subsequent recognitions. This means similar responses are faster and often more accurate.  

This effect was well documented in the 1970s in experiments of “semantic recall”, where subjects were presented with various words and asked to say them or to recognize them. Subjects reacted more quickly in recognizing or using words that they had recently used or heard.  For example, if a subject hears or uses the word, “apple,” their reaction time is faster if they encounter or use the word apple again later in the same experiment.  The priming effect also works with closely related words. This  indicates that priming spreads to closely related cognitive categories and the neural circuits underlying them.  Extending our earlier example, a subject who has used or heard “apple,” will have a faster reaction time saying or using, “banana” or “fruit,” compared with “dog” or “pet.”  

Since this early research, computational models and neuroimaging studies have shown various ways processing one piece of information activates circuitry in the brain that facilitates other related processing. 

It’s pretty easy to see how priming affects everyday life experiences.  When you learn a new word, you suddenly notice it everywhere; when you hear about a film, you suddenly find it being talked about a lot; if you are experiencing heartache, suddenly all of the songs you hear are about heartaches. Priming brings things into our awareness.

So priming is a cognitive process that results from underlying neurological processes.  Priming makes things more salient.  It is an aspect of memory.

Setting intentions capitalizes on priming.  Intentions create a priming effect by alerting the mind and brain to be ready to receive information or to behave in particular ways.  Setting an intention alerts you to opportunities to act. Once you set an intention, you have enhanced the chance of your doing or experiencing something.  

To maintain the priming effect, you have to remain aware of your intention; keeping it conscious and reminding yourself of it. (You’ll find some ideas for doing this below.)

The psychological component

Setting an intention also works because it creates a sense of purpose and meaning.

The path toward greater happiness and life fulfillment, to flourishing, begins with setting a clear intention. Many of us have a vague goal of “being happy,” but we don’t keep that goal at the center of our awareness and we don’t create a phrase of sentence that expresses this intention and reminds us of our direction.

Intentions are not psychologically the same as goals.  Goals emphasize the future and usually involve a list of steps to take, one after the other, to accomplish the goal.  If your goal is to learn to take great photos with your smartphone, you might begin by looking for classes that teach about sharp pictures, adjusting settings and using Adobe or other creative software.  You’d then enroll in a class, do the assignments and practice and so on. These are the steps or targets along the way.  Sometimes we don’t achieve goals, other times we do. Of course, not achieving goals can feel undermining or lead to a variety of negative thought patterns. 

Intentions are focused in the here and now.  While they may also be a compass or map to progressing along a path, the attention and awareness they offer is in the present moment. They invite us to do things now. They allow us to experience a sense of accomplishment or joy or satisfaction now, not in some vague future time. They are kind and supportive.

Research in psychology shows that intentions can also reduce anxiety by offering a guiding light, having a bit of confidence in knowing things we are going to do. Studies also show intentions help nurture self-control and discipline, and build new beneficial habits. They counter feelings of being aimless or lost, creating a clearer sense of purpose.

This psychological aspect of intentions grounds us and also provides a way of measuring our progress. Noting progress in tangible, measurable ways rewards our efforts and can reinforce our commitment to a practice. It is deeply reassuring.  (Some suggestions for measuring progress follow.)

Creating intentions

There’s no right or wrong way to state your intention. Whatever words or phrases feel good to you, is the right way for you.  You might say or write or even sing a phrase that captures what you want to attend to.  Here are a few examples: 

• “I want to do one activity of informal mindfulness each day ”  

• “May I notice three things each day that make me feel grateful.” 

• “I am going to be more playful and have fun with my kids, instead of focusing on mundane tasks they need to do”

• “When I become aware that I’m feeling good, I want to pause for 6 seconds and really take it in.”

• “When I am listening to someone, I want to look into their face, wishing them well and paying attention to what they are saying rather than letting my thoughts drift or thinking about myself.”

Reminding yourself of your intention

When you become aware of your intention, try to respond by engaging in your practice.

Many people are quite creative in ways they find to remind themselves of their intention and bring it to mind.  

Here are some popular ideas my clients use

• Stick Post-It notes in several very visible places, like the bathroom mirror or a door

• Create pop-up notifications on your phone 

• Schedule-send emails or messages

• Set a gentle alarm to sound several times during the day

• Link the intention to something that occurs periodically throughout your day, for example recalling your intentions when you become aware of a bird singing, water running, noticing a cat or a butterfly, or seeing  your favorite color. 

• Associate the intention with a meal or a particular time of day.

• Wear a special bracelet or ring, and when you notice it, bring your intention to mind.

These are all versions of tying a string around your finger.  The string works, because noticing it reminds you of what you intend to do.

Measuring your success

Some people love to keep track of their progress, others prefer to just trust in the inner growth well-being practices bring. The best approach is the one that feels right to you.  When I work with my clients, we explore options for noting – and even celebrating – success.

 If you would like to keep  track of your practices there are many easy ways to do that. You may want to place a coin, pebble or marble in a glass jar each time you’ve practiced; or keep a score card or calendar marking each day that you engage in your practice. You could delight like a playful child and award yourself stickers. 

Another way to observe and reflect on your progress is though journalling. Begin by writing out your intention. Daily, weekly or whenever you wish, reflect on how you are experiencing and growing through the practice(s) you are working with.  This kind of journaling can be a few words or several paragraphs or even done with doodles and sketches. Whatever feels right to you. 

Honor and enjoy yourself as you engage with your intention

As you work with your intention(s), I hope you will notice when you become aware of an intention and feel happy when you respond, even if very briefly.  Each time you act or think with awareness and self kindness, a wave of healthy supportive emotions and chemicals cascade through you, nurturing your well-being.

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Finding your Intention:  A Guided Meditation

If you would like a little support, you may find this  brief guided meditation can help you bring your intention for finding greater well-being into focus. 

Before you begin, be sure you have a piece of paper and pen handy so when the guided practice ends you can write down the intention that came to you.