When I’d been intention setting for several months, I came across a quote from Matthew McConaughey that resonated deeply, “…the arrow doesn’t seek the target, the target draws the arrow. We must be aware of what we attract in life because it is no accident or coincidence.” This is such an empowering concept. 

This is a powerful reminder that when we set a goal or intention, we increase the likelihood of reaching it simply because we set it. I remembered times in my life that I had done just that. I remember creating a list of objectives during a class and later things started to come to pass without me even making conscious movement towards the desires. 

The Energy of Your Intention

Connecting this back to Map of Consciousness, we need to remember that it’s important the energy we’re setting our intentions in. If we are setting goals from a place of striving or force (low/contracted energy), we increase the likelihood of multiplying that low energy whether it be through our “failure” and subsequent shame or guilt for “letting ourselves down,” or by creating an atmosphere where we strive to achieve our goal only to still feel dissatisfied once it’s achieved because the energy it was birthed in was all low energy.  The energy we start in tends to be the energy we finish in. 

By comparison, intentions or goals set from an expanded state of mind where we’re open to how they manifest (because what we want most is to align with the highest good) – well those are the ones that are fulfilling not just as they come to pass, but along the journey too because our heart state is abiding in that love-based energy, which is where true power lies. 

A phrase I’ve said for years is “what you focus on, you make room for.” This is what manifestation is all about. This is a powerful reminder and a good standard to measure your thoughts and actions. 

Focus on the Journey Rather than Simply the Destination

If we think of intention setting as stops along our journey, we can see them as touch points for us to pause to see where we are – because any movement towards a goal is movement. So remember that small progress is still progress. 

If we think of this in mathematical terms, it’s like if we consider a scale of zero (no progress) to 10 (maximum progress) over a period of a year. No progress looks like 365×0=0. In other words completely stagnant. But even a tiny bit of progress, let’s say a quarter of a point (so not even a full point, let alone 10 points). That may not seem like much, but progress is still progress, so it still yields results 365x.25=91.25, which is a whole lot more than 0!

I think often we don’t “make progress” because we honestly don’t know exactly what we want. Setting intentions is inherently hopeful, and for some who’ve experienced extensive disappointment, choosing hope can be difficult. But it’s worth the effort, and the picture of what our intention is tends to sharpen over time. However, be intentional to hold the exact manifest of your intentions loosely. Trust the flow to direct you along the way. Manage your expectations and leave room for progress.  

An Example 

I’ll share a personal example. We’ve lived in our home for two decades, which is a lot of time to acquire things. Our house wasn’t messy, but we had a lot more than we needed that had been accumulated.  For nine months, I had an intention to declutter and release that which was no longer needed. My “alignment action” was to start releasing one to two things a week. If I’d kept going at that pace, it would have taken decades to address the situation, but it was a realistic goal. 

In all honesty, regardless of how realistic it was, I didn’t even manage to always meet it. Let’s face it, we’re going to disappoint ourselves sometimes. The question is what we do then. I could get into a negative mindset and beat myself up for falling short, but what would that accomplish? Would it make me any more likely to make progress? No. 

So each month I’d acknowledge where I was, but continue to set my intention on where I wanted to be. There were a lot of very real reasons why nothing major happened on it, and I struggled with feeling overwhelmed by what I knew needed to be done. But I kept stirring my hope and focusing my energy. 

Suddenly after nine months of having this intention and with no marked progress, all of a sudden my energy for it hit critical mass. A friend who has a gift for organization and decluttering came to visit, and she randomly asked me about a knick-knack shelf – specifically asking about a particular item on it. I went on to share the story (which was not a good one), and she asked why I kept it. It was a simple but profound question. 

It had been a gift from my husband a couple of decades earlier, but the memories around it weren’t good, so every time I saw it – it sparked that low energy and drained my personal energy. The question she asked clicked everything into place. 

I suddenly I looked around with new eyes realizing the very real energy drains that were all around me. So in the next three weeks, I tackled the whole house. It was an effort physically, but emotionally it was a smooth process because all the energy work had already been done. After a week, my husband looked at me and said “Who are you?” LOL! 

It was a huge win. But note that it didn’t happen right away, and that I had to stay focused, but also open to how it would happen. I didn’t want to do it in a “force” mindset, but rather one of “power” (Map of Consciousness). Because the target had been drawn, the arrow finally hit. 

In Conclusion 

This is just one example, but I have many I could share because since I started intention setting I’ve seen movement in every single area that’s been targeted. So I encourage you to consider trying it if you haven’t already. Be open. Be hopeful. Be focused. Keep your thoughts right and your expectations good. And when you catch yourself deviating on any of that, just realign and move forward. Enjoy the journey!