Yay it is new moon time and I am writing my goal, intention and outcome for the next month. As I was filling out my monthly development and personal growth planner template, I discovered I hadn’t written a post on the difference between a goal, an intention and an outcome, so here it is. In this post I will discuss –
- What is a Goal?
- What is an Intention?
- What is an Outcome?
- What is the Difference Between a Goal, an Intention and an Outcome?
Let’s get started!
What is a Goal?
The definitions of goals I discovered were –
- “the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.” ~ Google and Oxford Dictionaries
- “the end toward which effort is directed.” ~ Merriam-Webster Dictionaries
- “an aim or purpose” ~ Cambridge Dictionary
- “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed” ~ Dictionary.com
Generally goals follow the SMART process – S for Specific, M for Measurable, A for Achievable, R for Relevant and T for Time-Based.
What is an Intention?
The are many definitions of an intention including –
- “the thing that you plan to do or achieve: an aim or purpose” ~ Merriam-Webster.com
- “a thing intended: an aim or plan” ~ Google and Oxford Dictionaries
- “an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result” ~ Dictionary.com
- “Your intentions create your reality.” ~ Wayne Dyer
I think of an intention as a way of BEing, more an internal process or “I Am” statement based on your values – who we are on our deepest level.
What is an Outcome?
The definitions of an outcome include –
- “the way a thing turns out; a consequence” ~ Google
- “a final product or end result; consequence; issue” ~ Dictionary.com
- “a result or effect of an action, situation, etc.” ~ Cambridge Dictionary
- “something that follows as a result or consequence” ~ Merriam-Webster.com
What is the Difference Between a Goal, an Intention and an Outcome?
As you can see by the above, I see the key difference between a goal, intention and an outcome as –
- a goal is what you want to DO (i.e. the BEFORE). An example of a goal is by June 29, 2019, I will have developed a greater knowledge and understanding of mindful self-compassion, so I can share the practise and tools with my clients.
- an intention is who you want to BE. For example – I am BEing compassionate towards myself and I am investing the time to reflect and look after my needs.
- an outcome is what you ACHIEVED by the actions you took (i.e. the AFTER). An example of an outcome is I am a trained teacher of mindful self-compassion.
Over to You…
I hope this post has given you some insight in to the difference between a goal, an intention and an outcome. Are there any other differences your would add? If so, feel free to share them below.
If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?
Leave A Response