The ancient Zen practice of setting intentions carries profound wisdom for our scattered modern minds. Unlike rigid goals, intentions act as a compass rather than a destination - they guide our moment-to-moment choices while allowing space for life's natural flow.
Think of intention-setting as planting a seed in fertile soil. The seed knows inherently how to grow, but it requires consistent nurturing. Similarly, our intentions need regular recommitment to flourish amid life's distractions.
The Seduction of Side Paths
We've all experienced that moment: You set out to build a meaningful business that helps others, but then suddenly find yourself obsessing over quarterly revenue targets. Or you begin a fitness journey for health and vitality, only to become fixated on aesthetic metrics that weren't originally important to you.
These diversions often disguise themselves as logical extensions of our path. "If I just take on these high-paying clients I don't enjoy working with, I'll have more resources to help the people I really want to serve later." But "later" has a way of never arriving, and we find ourselves further from our true intention.
In personal finance, this often takes the shape of "if I divert from this plan to cover all of my bases, can't I just make more money by picking [insert seemingly sure bet] and watching it go up?" What a person most often needs to remind themselves of, when they find they are thinking like this, is that an open-ended "make maximum money if a specific outcome occurs" is often not the stated or intended goal they were ever actually targeting in the first place.
Money in particular is best viewed as a tool or method to accomplish higher goals. If one sets out to achieve real personal outcomes in their personal, family, or business life, this will likely include setting up the environment to be conducive to reaching and being able to take advantage of those goals. If one finds themselves forgetting why they did this and begins to see "money" as the actual goal, it's likely that they would benefit from being reminded of their original intent.
In Zen practice, this challenge is addressed through the guidance of a Roshi (master teacher) and regular sanzen (one-on-one meetings). The Roshi's role isn't to make decisions for the student but to ask penetrating questions that help reveal when one has strayed from their true path. We can adapt this practice for modern life through regular self-inquiry and, ideally, accountability partners who understand our core intentions. It can often be easier for a trusted third-party to notice when we have moved our goalposts and to gently guide us back on course.
Practical Re-anchoring Strategies:
Periodic Alignment: Start each day (or appropriate time period) by quietly reconnecting with your intention. This could be as brief as three conscious breaths while mentally stating your purpose. Ask yourself: "What truly matters to me?" - "What have I set out to accomplish?"
Environmental Triggers: Place subtle reminders in your workspace - perhaps a small stone, note, sign, or other meaningful symbol that catches your eye and prompts remembrance of your intention. Some practitioners keep their written intention in a place they'll naturally see throughout the day.
Digital Pauses: Use natural breaks (email checks, social media browsing) as cues to re-center. Before engaging, take one breath and recall your intention. Ask: "Does this activity serve my true purpose?"
Evening Reflection: Close each day by noting how your actions aligned with your intention, without judgment. Notice patterns of distraction to better prepare for tomorrow.
Handling Conflicting Intentions
When facing seemingly competing intentions, Zen teaches us to look deeper. Often, what appears as conflict on the surface reveals harmony at the root. For instance, the intention to be both a present parent and a successful entrepreneur might seem at odds, but both might spring from a core intention of living with purpose and positive impact.
The key is to regularly revisit your highest-level intention. When faced with choices, ask:
- "Which path maintains alignment with my deepest values?"
- "Am I being pulled by external metrics or internal truth?"
- "What would my future self-wish I had chosen?"
In our practice, Avoiding Failure and then Improving Efficiency are often the highest intentions. The guidepost for many plans of action is to implement (and stick to) strategies that will allow for a strong viable path in many possible future conditions. Setting and revisiting intentions, in this case, is about simply returning to and following those guideposts.
The Wisdom of Regularly Returning
Just as a ship must constantly correct its course to reach its destination, we must repeatedly return to our intentions. This isn't a sign of failure but of wisdom. Each time we notice we've drifted and choose to return, we strengthen our commitment to what truly matters.
Remember: Every shiny opportunity that presents itself isn't necessarily aligned with your path. There will always be ways to get more money, more recognition, more immediate gratification - but at what cost to your original intention?
The beauty of this merged approach lies in its flexibility. While Zen teaches us to hold intentions lightly, practical re-anchoring provides the structure needed to maintain direction in our busy lives. The goal isn't perfect adherence but conscious choice - choosing again and again to return to what matters most.
2024-7548862.1 Exp 01/27