Connect & Grow Magazine: Issue 17 January - February 2025

The new year is a standard time to set goals. What are the three elements you need to turn them into reality?
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Action, Intention and Belief.
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It's not rocket science. Although it’s surprising how often we overlook them.
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New Year’s resolutions, anyone?
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Here’s a common scenario. Let’s call her Tina. (Maybe you’ve experienced this yourself?)
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It’s early January, and Tina’s feeling pumped. She’s set a new goal to get fit. She researched exercise workouts, went clothes shopping, and signed up at a gym. What happened next? She turned up at the gym several times and kept it going for a week or two. But then something else popped up. She missed a session. No big deal. She got back on board. Then something else happened. Tina missed a few more sessions.
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Things got busy, and it snowballed. By the end of the month, Tina had lost her initial enthusiasm, got out of the habit, and slipped back to her old ways. Her fitness goal is now abandoned.
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So, how do these three elements work together? What could Tina do differently next time?
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Action
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Without action, our goals and intentions remain wishful thinking. Over time, we can lose faith in ourselves and our capacity for change.
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We make physical progress Every time we act toward our intention (no matter how small). We build evidence that we are making a change and that the goal is possible. This proof also shores our new identity as people who have achieved this goal.
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For example, every time Tina shows up at the gym and does even one exercise, she builds her physical fitness and identity as a ‘fit person’. She’s more likely to take other supporting actions, like walking to her local shops, because that’s what she believes a ‘fit person’ does.
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IntentionÂ
Sometimes, we can get so focused on taking action that we lose track of why we’re doing it in the first place. We may also not be as efficient in working towards our goals or get stuck in busy work.
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For instance, Tina could set herself up for success by consulting a fitness professional early on to create a specific target and tailored actions. She also watches out when she starts getting engrossed in creating her playlist so she doesn’t lose actual workout time.
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Belief
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Our unconscious beliefs are the third element in supporting our success. We need to believe that it’s safe, acceptable, and possible for us to achieve this goal. We also need to feel deserving and willing to make the change. Without this, our subconscious programming may lead to self-sabotage or procrastination.
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For instance, Tina tracks her exercise to prove she can follow through. She also books in with a professional to ensure her beliefs support her goal.
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Next time you set a goal increase your success by including these three elements: Action, Intention and Belief.Â
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If you're in the mood for further reflection, you’re welcome to read the Dec 2023 Connect and Grow Magazine issue (available via subscription) and check out my Planning and Reflection Tool resource page: https://innercreative.com.au/planning-resource/
which includes a free Reflection Workbook to download
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Written by Natalia Walker
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Natalia is available for consultations.
Email:Â natalia@innercreative.com.au
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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at the time of publication and subject to change.