Why I Choose Intentions Alongside Goals

I have always appreciated the clarity of a goal. It gives us a destination, a date to work towards and a useful sense of momentum. Goals helped me prepare for broadcasts, write books, build a speaking career and take brave steps into unfamiliar spaces. They have a valuable place in our lives.

Yet I believe in setting intentions, not just goals, because a goal describes what I want to achieve while an intention reminds me how I want to live along the way. It brings values, attention and emotional wellbeing into the picture. That distinction has become increasingly important to me as my work, family life and advocacy have developed.

An intention is less about controlling every outcome and more about choosing the energy, behaviour and principles I want to bring to a situation. It can guide a conversation, a working day, a period of change or a season when life refuses to follow the plan. For me, intentions create a steadier form of ambition: purposeful, compassionate and connected to the person I am becoming.

Why Direction Matters

A goal can be wonderfully motivating, but it can also become a narrow definition of success. If the target is to secure a new role, publish a book or increase the reach of a business, it is easy to believe that reaching that point will resolve every doubt. Then the milestone arrives, the applause fades and the mind immediately searches for the next thing to prove.

Intentions give the journey a deeper direction. I might intend to act with courage, communicate honestly, protect my wellbeing or make space for other people to grow. These choices remain meaningful even when circumstances change. A cancelled project does not erase the intention to be resilient. A difficult conversation does not make the intention to be respectful irrelevant.

This matters because achievement is only one part of a fulfilling life. The way we pursue something affects our confidence, our relationships and our health. A person can reach a professional target while feeling disconnected from themselves. An intention provides a regular opportunity to ask whether the route we are taking still reflects what matters most.

Goals Need A Human Meaning

When I set a goal, I now try to understand the reason beneath it. Wanting to write a book may be connected to a wish to tell the truth, help someone feel less alone or make sense of a difficult chapter. Wanting to host an event may be linked to the intention of creating a generous, inclusive space where people feel seen. The goal gives form to the deeper purpose.

This approach has changed the way I think about ambition. There is nothing wrong with wanting growth, recognition or financial success. Those things can create opportunities and security. The question is whether the goal is serving our values or quietly replacing them. If I am chasing an achievement purely to earn approval, I may reach it and still feel empty. If it expresses a meaningful intention, the work becomes more grounded.

It also helps to separate self-worth from performance. I can miss a target without deciding that I have failed as a person. I can revise a plan without treating that revision as weakness. Goals are useful measures, but they are not a complete measure of identity. An intention keeps me connected to qualities that cannot be reduced to a number, ranking or public response.

Intentions In Busy Seasons

The busiest periods of my life have taught me that good intentions need to be practical. When work, family commitments and personal responsibilities compete for attention, an elaborate self-improvement system is unlikely to last. A simple phrase can be more useful: be present, protect my energy, listen before reacting, or make room for creativity.

That last intention can transform an ordinary week. Creativity does not always require a free afternoon or a perfect environment; it may begin with ten undisturbed minutes, a notebook by the bed or a walk without a podcast. I have written about making room for creativity because creative expression often disappears when we wait for life to become quiet. An intention helps us notice the small openings that already exist.

The same principle applies to family life. A goal might be to manage every commitment perfectly, but that standard can create guilt rather than balance. My intention may be to be emotionally available, communicate clearly and accept that some days will be untidy. The reality of motherhood and a TV career has reinforced the importance of flexibility. Presence is often more valuable than an illusion of perfect balance.

Intentions also support wellbeing because they encourage us to work with our actual capacity. If I intend to care for my mental and physical health, I can choose rest, boundaries or a supportive conversation without waiting until everything is falling apart. That is a more compassionate form of personal growth than demanding constant productivity.

Turning Values Into Daily Practice

An intention becomes powerful when it moves beyond a statement and enters the diary. If I intend to be confident, I might prepare thoroughly for a difficult conversation and state my needs without overexplaining. If I intend to lead with generosity, I might acknowledge someone’s contribution, share useful information or create room for a quieter voice in the room.

For me, this is especially relevant when I am speaking or hosting events. Confidence does not mean pretending to have no nerves. It can mean trusting my preparation, asking for fair value and communicating professionally. Learning to negotiate speaking fees can be part of an intention to respect my expertise and encourage healthier expectations within the industry.

A practical intention should be specific enough to guide behaviour. “Have a better week” is too vague to help when pressure arrives. “Protect one evening for rest” or “respond rather than react” gives the mind something to return to. I often find it useful to choose one intention for a day and another for a longer season, then check whether my actions are moving in the same direction.

Reflection is part of the practice. At the end of a day, I can ask what supported my intention and what pulled me away from it. This is not an exercise in self-criticism. It is a way of noticing patterns, adjusting expectations and beginning again with greater awareness.

Goals And Intentions In Practice

Goals and intentions are strongest when they work together. A goal can create structure and accountability, while an intention protects the meaning behind the effort. One tells me what I am working towards; the other helps me decide who I want to be while I work.

Imagine preparing for a major presentation. The goal may be to deliver it clearly and win the contract. The intention could be to communicate with warmth, stay grounded and make the information genuinely useful. If the contract does not come through, the result is disappointing, but the experience has not been meaningless. The intention can still have been honoured.

This combination is helpful in leadership, too. A target for a team might involve revenue, reach or delivery. The associated intention could be to build trust, give honest feedback and avoid creating a culture where people feel valued only for their output. Results matter, but the culture created in pursuit of those results has a lasting impact.

The same framework can support personal goals such as improving fitness, changing careers or becoming more financially secure. The goal provides a practical route. The intention might be to treat the body with respect, make brave decisions or develop a calmer relationship with money. Progress then includes the habits and mindset built along the way.

Practical Ways To Set Intentions

I do not see intention-setting as another task to perform perfectly. It is a pause before action, a chance to bring conscious choice into a life that can otherwise become reactive. A few simple prompts can make the process accessible:

• Choose a quality you want to embody, such as courage, patience, curiosity or steadiness.
• Connect each significant goal to the value that makes it worthwhile.
• Translate the intention into one visible behaviour you can practise today.
• Place a short reminder somewhere you will see it during a demanding moment.
• Review the intention weekly and adjust it when your circumstances or capacity change.

It can also help to set intentions in three areas: self, relationships and work. For myself, I may choose rest or self-trust. In relationships, I may choose attentive listening or honest communication. In work, I may choose clarity, collaboration or creative boldness. This creates a balanced picture of progress rather than allowing one area of life to consume all the attention.

When an intention slips, I try to treat that moment as information rather than evidence of failure. Perhaps I was overstretched, unclear about the behaviour required or trying to meet an unrealistic standard. The response is to return to the value and make the next choice a little more aligned. Consistency matters, but perfection is not the price of meaningful change.

Carry The Intention Forward

Setting intentions has made my goals feel more personal and more sustainable. It allows room for ambition without letting ambition become the whole story. I can pursue meaningful work, take on new challenges and celebrate visible achievements while staying connected to health, relationships, creativity and purpose.

This way of thinking has also shaped my work with women and the wider This Girl Is On Fire community. Empowerment is not simply about telling people to achieve more. It is about helping them recognise their own values, use their voice, set boundaries and make choices that support a life they can inhabit fully. The most important direction is often internal before it becomes visible externally.

A goal may mark the place I hope to reach. An intention helps me decide how I will travel, what I will protect and what I want the experience to mean. That is why I will keep setting goals, but I will place an intention beside each one. Write down the next goal you are carrying, name the value beneath it and choose one action today that brings both into alignment.