The way we end is the way we begin. Whether it’s a Monday morning and you are planning your week, or it’s the New Year and you’re thinking about how you want your entire year to go, or it’s the start of a work session and you want to get a lot done in the next hour… beginning with the end in mind will set your sails in the right direction.

So much about beginning with the end in mind is about having a clear picture in your mind, a mental equivalent, of what you really want. That’s the hardest part. Yet it’s the most important aspect of naming goals and setting intentions. We’ve all experienced both sides of this spectrum - times when we knew exactly what we wanted and times when all we knew was we wanted something different than what we have now, but what?

For those times that the goal was clear, that clarity took on a life of its own and we rode that energy all the way to the finish line. Our clarity seemed to attract a feeling of being divinely guided and gave an encouraging sense of being at the right place at the right time. Commitment to our vision brought a sense of joy and that joy attracted even more ease and grace.

It’s easy to commit to a clear goal. Super easy. You want it. You know you want it. And, you can picture it. Obstacles seems to be neutralized by your clear focus. There will always be things to overcome with any worthwhile goal, but the clarity of your intention allows you to plow through them like a big blade cutting through soft, loose soil, gracefully turning over row after row. 

Conversely, when the goal or intention isn’t clear we tend to work in circles and never get anywhere. We don’t know what action to take next because we don’t know where we are headed. We can’t find the joy in the next best steps because we don’t know to what exactly we are committing. And, there’s no magic.

Okay, so how can we get clear so we can enjoy the benefits of having a solid goal?

1. Pay attention to signs. Sometimes they come in unlikely places. Sometimes it takes seeing someone else having it to know it’s possible. Envy, by the way, is often a sign that someone else has something you want. It doesn’t mean, they have it, and you don’t, and that’s the end. It means, rather, that something you want is possible. Normal Vincent Peale taught us to say, “That’s for me!” as a means to invite it in. What is your soul wanting you to want? Notice the first thought of the day you have about your desires and take any, even if small, action. What song did you wake up singing? What words stand out? There is a message there. Be sure to get it.

2. Decide what you want. Literally anything you can name as a desire can be formed into an intention/goal. What little or big change is calling to you? Write it down. Ask, “How do I want to feel when this goal comes to fruition? Not only does clearly identifying the end state help to manifest it, the energy of your desire guides the way, pulling you toward the highest outcome, and is ultimately the energy that drops in once you are there.

3. Only commit to what you really want to do. Commitment is easy when you really want something. I’m committed to my daily workout routine. I like being slender and strong. It’s something I’ll always want, so I easily commit to that, every day. What do you complain about? Flip it around into an intention and there’s your goal? Then celebrate every bit of clarity you get about your goal. Celebration is like a thank you note to the universe, its feedback that you are appreciating the gift of clarity you are receiving.

Goals give purpose to our lives. They take us out of resentful drudgery and bring a lightness to our step. They stop the victim, poor me cycle and remind us of what powerful creators we actually are. Our commitment to goals take us on the high road. Goals move our lives along in the most proactive, beautiful way.

It’s time to dream… What excites you? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What do you really want next? Say yes to yourself first, set a goal, and let yourself be guided into something wonderous and new. Joy awaits your commitment.

Julie Matheson is a holistic mental health counselor and author. Her new     book is now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, Audible and in bookstores near you – Lotus Flower Living: A Journaling Practice for Deep Discovery and Lasting Peace: Untangle Your Mind and Heart Once and For All. You may listen to the Introduction at LotusFlowerLiving.com/book.