Daily Intentions
What are you going to do with today? I am not asking what busy work, honey-do list, or random everyday tasks you have to complete. What will you do today to reach your boundless potential and progress towards living your best life? Benjamin Franklin would start every day by asking himself this question:
What good will I do this day?
This morning routine helped him think about what opportunities for serving his fellow man might arise during the day. Every evening, Franklin would end his day by pondering: "What good have I done today?" Examining how he had spent the day and whether he had completed the good deeds he had planned on doing.
Clarity of Vision
Take time each morning to set your daily intention. When you have clarity of vision, it helps align your intentions with your actions. More often than not, we will miss our target because we don't take the time to aim. Spend a moment when you first wake up in the morning to set a clear intention for the day and follow through. With clarity, it is easier to make choices with the result you desire in mind.
Become Unstoppable
Build momentum with small wins that align with your daily vision. Each little affirmative act increases your willpower, making it easier to make the next choice, even if it's hard or not as immediately rewarding. Let me give you a real-world example: you want to lose weight. The first action is to wake up early to go for a run. That first step in building that momentum is getting out of bed. It can still be dark outside, and your pillow is so soft, but you make the first choice of progress over comfort. Your next decision of whether to put on your running shoes, get out the door and exercise as you intended or turn on the news and have a coffee is that much easier to make because you are building momentum on the first win, getting out of bed. Each small victory reinforces your willpower and empowers you to continue taking positive actions that align with your daily vision.
Tracking Your Progress
What gets measured gets done. If you want to accomplish something, start documenting your progress. Tracking your momentum does a few things. The first is positive neurochemistry resulting in completing a task. When we check a box on our to-do list, the human brain releases dopamine making us feel good. The second benefit of tracking is transparency into how close or far we are to completing the goal. In business, we use Gantt charts or kanbans to measure how a project is tracking, and the same strategies work in your personal life. Whether it's monitoring the habits you want to create, the weight you want to lose, or money to save for a new home, tracking and milestones will help you succeed.
Imagine what you could accomplish if you committed to setting an intention each day and having the discipline to follow through. Some people seem to achieve so much more than others, and the secret to their success it having a plan and making daily progress towards the goal. So now, what will you do today?
