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Intentions.

Setting My Intentions.

Another big topic for me. Setting the right intentions is essential to achieving your goals. But the intention, for me, means something very particular and should not be used lightly. In most cases, it is your reason why. It is the “why” you are doing what you are doing. But for me, the intention is much more complex. So, here’s my 5 cents. It’s my way of looking at the world, and if it resonates with you, great. If it doesn’t, that’s great too. It’s your 5 cents now, so do with it what you may. My goal is to give you a different perspective, my perspective, on understanding your “intention.”

I can’t begin to tell you the sheer amount of times I’ve heard, “I had every intention…”. When this statement becomes the norm and not the exception, there is a disconnect. At this point, it is usually an excuse when you aren’t taking responsibility for the results of your actions. And to me, this is an attempt to convince yourself that your good “intention” makes up for not achieving the desired outcome. Now don’t get me wrong; I am not saying that every undesired result and unmet goal reflects disingenuous intention. However, there is something questionable when the norm is that your intention isn’t being achievedIf you don’t form genuine and honest connections between 

  1. where you are,
  2. where you want to be,
  3. and how you are going to get there,

 then you didn’t have an “intention.” You had a desire and hope.

For me, the intention has to be genuine. It has to embody the truth in my reality. Actual intent acknowledges where I currently am, where I desire to be, and a realistic course of action on how I’m going to get there. “Intention” is when you believe that your current course of action will yield your desired result. That is significant. But this means that you need to have a clear understanding of where you’re at, what you genuinely want to achieve and that your actions align with that purpose. 

My first example of this was my uncanny ability to be late. Honestly, it was truly remarkable. I would get up and say to myself, “Ok, I’m meeting my friends at 5 pm. I’ll leave here at 4:30 and get there at 5.” I would start getting ready at 4:15, and I knew damn well I would never make it on time. I didn’t intend to be late, but I also didn’t intend to be on time. I would get there to meet my friends shaking their heads in disbelief at how this could happen. Every. Single. Time. And the first thing I would say is, “Peeps, listen. I swear. I had every intention…..”. I love my friends for putting up with that disrespect and unaccountability, but I wish they never had to. I remember two of my friends, on two separate occasions, sitting me down and saying, “Jamie, when you don’t even truly try to make it on time, it shows that you don’t respect or value my time as much as you do your own.”. And although that wasn’t my desire, and I would love to say, “It wasn’t my intention,” my actions said otherwise. Furthermore, I couldn’t genuinely say that it wasn’t my intention because I did nothing to change it and allowed it to happen anyway. 

Another example that I’m sure most of us can relate to – New Year’s resolutions. Timely, right?! Be it losing weight, gaining weight, eating better or starting a new hobby, any natural change you want to make takes time and work. And this is where the understanding of intention is super important. 

Most people have the grandest of intentions at the beginning of the year. They know what they want to see and set a basic action plan to achieve it. After a few attempts, most also give up. There are many reasons this might happen. However, I’ve found that unclear intentions constitute a significant culprit. Sometimes, we never acknowledge where we are truly starting. But we set goals and an action plan that would be impossible for anyone in our position to execute or maintain. Sometimes, we aren’t clear about what we want. But we set a plan in motion that achieves a result, just not the result we wanted. Sometimes, we know where we are and what we want. But we leave what we need to do to chance, and it rarely aligns our starting and endpoints. And sometimes, it’s a combination of it all, or life just fucking happens. Can someone say COVID-19?! However, either way, a course correction is needed. And most times, the answer resides in understanding where you are, what you truly want, and the actions that align the two. When this is understood, so too are your intentions. 

Your intentions must be clear to affect the change you want to see. Otherwise, you are merely hoping and wishing for change. Fitness and nutrition are lifestyle changes. There is no quick fix, and setting genuine intentions can save you a lot of time and disappointment. I assure you, understanding and accepting where you are, knowing what you truly want and where you want to be, and determining a plan of action that you can commit to will be one of the most important keys to your success. I wish you good health, happiness, and fulfillment! From your mindset to your lifestyle to your nutrition, create genuine intentions.

And remember, to live your best life, health and fitness are not optional, but neither is it one size fits all. You must find what works for you, and I’m here to help if you want it!

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