7 Steps to Implementing Intentional Leadership

So, now that you have the strategies for turning intentions into reality . . . how do you implement them? How do you go from good intent to actual steps? Take these 7 steps and you will get there. Truly.

1) Launch your intentions now. When you finish reading this article, take the first action toward your goal. Not tomorrow, not later today, not in an hour. Right now! Set a standing appointment with yourself on your calendar to create an action plan with concrete, measurable steps. Measurable so you can evaluate progress.

What is the first action step to take in starting your home-based business? Hire a coach? Talk to an accountant? Claim your (physical) space? Announce it to your spouse?

2) Set an achievable ‘first’ goal. Remember, inertia is a powerful force. If you have never worked from home it may be overwhelming to get started. Habits are hard to break. Get out your hammer if you need to.

Don’t start out trying to conquer the world. Rather, set a doable action step that results in the first of many goals designed to accomplish the overall goal. Be realistic, and make it achievable. It’s the only way to beat inertia.

3) Publicly commit. This is so you don’t give in when enthusiasm wanes. State your achievable goal and tell everyone you know. Call or email your friends. This creates the positive pressure. When I announced to the world I was closely my clinical practice to open a coaching practice, I knew there was no turning back. It’s amazing how motivating this step can be!

4) Baby steps. This bears repeating. I stress the importance that inertia is a very strong force. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Hint: if you do it could be the gremlin at work wanting you to fail. How is this different than #2? Same concept but this reaches beyond the initial goal. If your goal is to run a marathon, then it’s walking around the block, then jogging around the block, then jogging around 2 blocks, then jogging a 5K, then a 10K, then a half-marathon, and finally a full marathon. Taken in steps, even running a marathon is realistic.

5) Be your own accountability partner. Okay, you committed yourself publicly . . . but it’s up to you to report your progress. Do this regularly. Daily is better than weekly. Set up an email alert reminding you to check in with your coach. Reporting your progress lessens tremendously being lazy and giving up.

6) Reward yourself. Accountability and commitment are great ways to put positive pressure on yourself. There’s another type of motivation – reward! Feeling optimistic about your progress, being proud of yourself, and seeing the long term goal getting closer and closer.

Don’t forget about the gravy rewards – your kids are proud of you, you attract a different kind of attention and your focus is on something that is constructive.

7) Keep doing it, no matter what. Challenges pop up. You have small failures. Keep going anyway. Temptations creep into the picture. That’s okay. Keep going. When it gets too tough to handle, walk away – literally. Go for a walk, listen to your music, play the piano, or better yet play with your kids.

Barbara Stanny, author of Secrets of Six-Figure Women has a simple formula designed to help women state their intention and move into action. Barbara’s Declaration of Intention starts with stating your business goal for the next 12 months. How does it feel? Talk about the power of intention – how will that create forward motion even when you don’t have a concrete plan? Do you get hung up on the “How?”

Barbara believes this distinction is critical. She says, “We get what we want, not what we ask for.” What does that statement mean to you? Do you have clarity about what you really want? Where is there any resistance?

Have you given yourself permission to be prosperous? Do you believe you deserve it? Barbara then wants you to become clear about your values. Knowing your core values provides the fire. The next step Barbara offers is discovering your motivational patterns. What are the discrepancies between what excites you and what you are currently working at?

Barbara suggests for all her clients this homework assignment: record any synchronicities you notice that propel your intention forward. What positive gains have you noticed since you focused on your intention?