Whether you’re trying to improve a relationship, get to the gym more often, finish that report, or clean out the garage, one of the keys to achieving your goals is remembering your best self—the you that you aspire to be.
The things we’re aiming to achieve, after all, are a reflection of the values we hold and the traits we want to express. Maintain a focused intention on those things and watch the barriers to achieving them melt away.
Here’s a simple two-step process you can use to move more easily toward any goal.
Identifying Who You Want to Be
First, think about what you’re hoping to get from achieving your goal. Ask yourself the classic “WIIFM” question: What’s in it for me?
Even when the result you’re aiming for is represented by something tangible, like that finished report or that clean, organized garage, what you really want is the feeling that you lived out a value that you hold in high regard. You want the experience of holding the mindset or attitude that the process of achieving your goal asks of you.
Suppose, for example, that you want to improve your relationship with your partner who has been irritating you lately. What mindset or attitude could you adopt that might smooth things out? Who do you really want to be when you relate to her? Someone who is more patient, maybe? More caring? More empathic? More cheerful?
Imagine setting an intention to express those traits. Imagine how it would feel being that person in your relationship. Imagine how your partner would respond to a person like that.
Or suppose you have to work on an assignment that you’ve been putting off. Who would you have to be to dive into it? What traits could you express? More curiosity? Keener interest? A heightened sense of responsibility? More inventiveness?
No matter what you’re aiming to achieve, your goal is asking you to focus on being who you need to be in order to achieve it.
When you identify the traits you want to use and develop a focused intention to live them in your daily life, they will carry you toward your goal. It’s just a matter of remembering who you want to be—and step two, below, will show you how to remember.
Focused Intention
The second step in remembering who you want to be is creating a focused intention using a simple practice called the PARK technique. It firmly anchors your intention to live out the traits you want to express, and doing it takes only a minute or two.
Begin by choosing two or three traits you think will work best for accomplishing your goal. Then say to yourself, preferably out loud, “My intention is to be ___________ and _________ .”
Next, take a couple minutes to close your eyes and remember a time when you felt each of them and let yourself experience that feeling as fully as you can.
Feel a little smile on your face and, as you feel your first intended feeling, say its name while you tap the heart region of your chest three times—“Capable. Capable. Capable.” Then do it with the next feeling.
Great! You have created your focused intention.
Next, you activate and strengthen it daily.
First, as soon as you wake in the morning, before you get out of bed, remember your intention, repeating the traits to yourself.
Second, as you go through your day, do the PARK exercise below to reinforce and nurture it. (A great way to remember it is to do it on the hour, or to do it before each meal.) Here’s how:
P – Pause in whatever you are doing, momentarily setting it aside.
A – Become Aware: Allow yourself to become fully aware of the present moment. Do a quick body-scan, and let go of any accumulated tension.Allow the muscles of your face, neck,shoulder and back to soften and relax.
Then notice the data your senses are bringing you: What are you seeing? Hearing? Smelling? Tasting? What is your skin feeling?
Next, do a quick review of all you have accomplished in the past hour and acknowledge yourself for it.
You can do all of this very effectively in a matter of a 10-15 seconds. If you can take a full 30 seconds or even a minute or two with it, luxuriating in the richness of the moment, you’ll find it especially refreshing.
R – Remember: Briefly touch your heart center as you mentally repeat the traits you want to embody – “Efficient; Focused; At Ease.” – allowing the feeling of your intentions to be in your awareness for a moment. Know that the feelings are alive within you and gently guiding you. (If you’re in a public situation and uncomfortable touching your heart center, simply turn your attention to your heart.)
K – Keep on Task: Return your attention to the task at hand or with the next one on your list.
That’s it! Choose two or three traits as vehicle for reaching your goal, install your intention to be immersed in them, do a morning reminder when you wake and practice PARK as you go through your day.
My coaching clients love this exercise, by the way. I hope you’ll give it a try and experience the well-being and success that it can bring you as you move toward your goals.
Wishing you delicious intentions!
Warmly,
Susan
Image by Natalia Lavrinenko from Pixabay