The Importance of Taking Intentional Actions

Last year, my word of the year was “Fearless”. I had a lot of challenges that I felt were holding me back from my true potential, so I focused on being fearless so I can be bold in my pursuits and face challenges head on.

My word for this year is “Intentional.”

Whether it be in my business, being a mom, in my lifestyle choices, in my diet, or in any other aspect of my life, I found that taking action is not enough. I had to take more intentional actions with my goals.

So what is being intentional all about?

In this post, I will discuss some ways that you can take intentional actions and make intentional choices in your life and business.

We’ll start with the definition. What exactly is intentional action?

Taking intentional actions means focusing more on the result and knowing that the actions you are taking are in line with the result you want to achieve.

Table of Contents

Set SMART Goals

For example, one goal I have is to lose weight this year. I’ve tried diets in the past and none have worked that well, I eat healthy regularly, and I do yoga in the morning. While these are all very noble things that may help me maintain a healthy weight or lose a few pounds, they don’t have a specific end result in mind.

A better goal would be, I want to lose 15 pounds by June of this year. I will do that by going on the Keto diet because that has worked for me before, dedicating 2-3 days a week to running a mile, and working on building muscle so I can burn fat more efficiently.

Not only is there a clear set goal and a specific end date, but the plan also breaks down exactly what will work for me and how to accomplish it. It’s a well catered thought out solution with intentional goals to reach it.

Cutting Out Distraction

One great way to be more intentional is to cut out the distractions.

The other day I went out for a run with my 3 year old and took her out to Denny’s for breakfast. A little mommy and me date 🙂

I felt like a really spend quality time with my daughter because I was fully immersed in being with her. I didn’t check my phone or think about other things, the main focus was on her.

Whether it be in parenting or in your business, you must fully immerse yourself in what you are doing.

Benefits of intentional action include:

Get more done
Feel like you’ve spent quality time with people
Learn more from others
Feeling heard/listened to
Being productive
Managing time better
Seeing better results

Don’t Just Throw Spaghetti On the Wall

While some people suggest “throwing spaghetii on the wall and seeing what sticks” I wonder why you would even waste the energy.

Sure, you may land on the one thing that will work for you after you’ve tried a hundred other things, but is that really efficient?

Not at all.

And it’s not intentional either.

Taking intentional action is about having direction and purpose for each action.

Learn what you are trying to accomplish, get an understanding of it
Admit what you don’t know
Find someone who has done it before and set up a conversation or coaching
Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t
Know your end goal and create a plan to get there

Check out my goal planner to break down each goal into easy bite sized peices. Post your goals in a visible place so you can see them each day.

Measure Data and Review Your Actions Frequently

While you may think that you are taking intentional actions towards a goal, how do you know?

Review your progress on your goals and what actions you took.
See what worked and what didn’t work.
Then plan your next intentional action towards doing what works.

If you don’t take some time to review your actions and your progress on your goals, it is easy to get off track and start taking unproductive, unintentional actions.

Keep a journal where you record what you accomplished the previous week. What worked for you, what didn’t, and what can you improve?