The Power of Intention
Habit is self reinforcing. To break it, you must overcome its inertia. Willpower can do this when applied correctly. But most people get poor results because they try to force change. This is a common misconception of willpower. You think you need to pick a fight with yourself. To use gusto! And initially it feels like this method can work. Just resist! But we all know how quickly willpower fizzles. It’s a one hit wonder.
In general, this resistance is negative emotion. But it mainly comes up as anger. When you use negativity as fuel, it likes to invite all its friends. Especially if you fail. You blame. You feel guilty. You complain. You rationalize. You play the victim. It’s a big ugly mess. For most people, this approach does more to keep them in habit than force them out.
The Power of Intention
The main difference between intention and forced willpower is motive. Your accustomed to willpower that is forced. Forced willpower is outcome oriented. It is all or nothing. When you fail, you’re done. Please try again next New Years. This is probably your concept of willpower. Intention is choice itself. It is direction oriented and choosing improvement rather than perfection. It surrenders outcome and focuses on moving toward your goal. You expect to fail along the way because you’re human. Your aim is to grow consciously. To create a shift in beings, apply these simple steps:
1) Make a Declarative Decision
Have clarity. Know exactly what you’d like to become. Contemplate all the effects it would have on you. Do this twenty minutes a day, every day. How would your life be different? How would it affect your relationships? Your job? Your finances? What effortless thoughts and actions would result? How would it change your future? How would you view your past? By recognizing all the side effects of becoming your goal, you’re more likely to accept the whole package and make the internal shift.
2) Commitment
Begin applying some of these side effects. Start small. Commit yourself to conscious growth rather than having the final outcome instantly. Know the outcome and allow it to happen on its own. Your job is to move in the right direction with your thoughts and attention. Keep a journal and log your success.
3) Forgiveness
Forgiveness is key. You need to work with life instead of resist it. When you feel resistance in you, observe it. It will come up. Just recognize it and forgive it. If it runs your decisions at times, forgive it some more. Apply this rule without exception. By doing so, you take the sting out of guilt and blame and what “should” have happened. It will also bring you to choice.
4) Surrender
Surrender is learning to let go of outcome and be comfortable now. While you do desire a certain result and trust it to come about, you consciously forgive whatever happens, both within yourself and the environment. Why? Because in reality, you don’t control your a majority of your decisions. And you don’t control the environment. They happen effortlessly. So if you want to become something new, surrender the need to have an outcome. Focus on growing toward it.
5) Recommit
The speed of your growth parallels your devotion. Devotion isn’t unacceptance or resisting. It is declaring and comfortably choosing to make things better. Over and over. You are always here and only have two options: make things better or worse.
In the end, change isn’t so hard. It just takes time and commitment. A tree doesn’t grow all at once and neither do you. But you don’t see the tree whining like a little girl. 
So be kind to yourself and allow growth to happen. Be comfortable with your evolution. When you stop resisting life, you’ll find it does all the hard work for you.
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