There is so much power in a solid, unshakeable intention. It becomes the launching pad from which your life can take off. An intention is the stepping stone from which you can push off of to achieve your desire. Knowing what you want, and committing to action, makes you a force to be reckoned with.

Several years ago I had a dream where I was in a snake-filled trench. Short, fat snakes with skin so white they were almost transparent. Long, skinny snakes so entwined they were a solid mass. When I tried to climb out, I realized the walls were covered in long, brown, slithering snakes. I shrieked and withdrew to the center of the trench. Then, in an act of determination, I ran forward and leaped over the side of the wall to the safety of high ground. As I jumped out, I felt powerful. The leaves of a nearby shrub slapped me as I tumbled out. I remember turning and looking back into the trench with a feeling of satisfaction. I can still feel the smile that spread across my face and the thought that nothing could stop me once I had a clear intention — not even a pit full of snakes.

Life is a laboratory for testing intention.

It’s as if once we decide what we want, then the Universe throws a few monkey wrenches into the scenario as if to say, “Are you sure you want this?” How you respond, represents your commitment to the desire.

Perhaps you want to hunker down and shift strategies to ensure your intention becomes your reality. Or maybe the challenges will take you back to the drawing board where you decide that perhaps another path is right for you.

I’ve always believed that we have many paths to living an abundant, joyful life. To think that we only have “one” way or “one” path in life has never felt authentic to me. So changing your mind is a-okay! But once you decide what you want, dedication to the path is the only way to get there.

Five Ways to Stay Focused on Success

1. Keep your eye on the prize. When you focus on the intended outcome rather than what stands in between you and what you want, you’ll progress much more rapidly. If you think about the gap, you allow feelings of self-doubt to cloud your vision and slow you down or perhaps even scare you off the path altogether.
2. Look for the good in everything. Most people are either glass half empty or glass half full. Which are you? When life challenges you, be open to the possibilities. It’s not important that you know how to solve every challenge in the moment but rather that you are open to whatever solutions may present themselves.
3. Ask yourself why and answer with total honesty. Want to hide? Ask yourself why. Want to run away? Ask yourself why. Think you aren’t good enough? Ask yourself why and don’t stop with the questions until you have all the answers. Understanding yourself is the first step to understanding everything around you.
4. Assess your company. If you are around positive people with good intentions, that positive energy rubs off on you. If you are around negative people with bad intentions, that negative energy brings you down. If your friends are downers, look for new ones that will be a positive, energetic influence.
5. Practice gratitude every day. Living life through a process of gratitude puts you in a different energetic field. Gratitude stems from all that is good — from love, respect and acknowledgment that every moment of life is a gift.

All of us face challenges, many that frighten us and make us question our decisions and the goals we set for ourselves. What’s more important than the challenges, however, is how we handle them. As for my dream, I would like to think that the Sheila from the dream represents who I am in daily life — always willing to brace myself against the scary stuff and rise above the challenge!

With self-awareness and intention, I know the same can be said of you.

Go on, Bravehearts! Set your intention, take a deep, reassuring breath, and fly!

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