{"id":48321,"date":"2020-11-11T17:17:33","date_gmt":"2020-11-11T22:17:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ccl.org\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=48321"},"modified":"2025-05-08T07:07:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T11:07:24","slug":"change-now-make-intentions-reality","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.ccl.org\/articles\/leading-effectively-articles\/change-now-make-intentions-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Change Now! 5 Steps to Turn Intentions Into Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>Remember that <a href=\"\/articles\/leading-effectively-articles\/10-leadership-resolutions-successful-year\/\">leadership resolution<\/a> you set at the beginning of the year? The feedback you were given? The development plan you made for where you want to be in 2 years?<\/p>\n<p>How\u2019s it going? Making a lot of progress?<\/p>\n<p>The truth is, most of us don\u2019t get too far in our goals to improve as managers and leaders. We have the\u00a0best intentions. We want to learn new skills, change behaviors, or accomplish good things.<\/p>\n<p>So, what gets\u00a0in the way?<\/p>\n<p>One answer is that change seems too complicated. Too much information, too many moving parts, too many distractions. Turning intentions into reality can be difficult.<\/p>\n<p>Our book\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.ccl.org\/usa\/change-now-five-steps-to-better-leadership.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Now!<\/a><\/em> distills the theory and tactics that we know work and puts them into one unintimidating, creative, easy-to-do process. Part self-help guide, part inspiration, this workbook is a hands-on, shareable way to help you make the changes that matter most to you.<\/p>\n<p>It can help you put your time and energy into being better and doing better, and <a href=\"\/articles\/leading-effectively-articles\/living-with-intention-work-home\/\">living with intention at both work and home<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>5 Steps to Simplify Change &amp; Turn Intentions Into Reality<\/h2>\n<h3>How to Live With Intention at Work and Home<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/5-steps-to-simplify-change-turn-intentions-into-reality-center-for-creative-leadership.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/5-steps-to-simplify-change-turn-intentions-into-reality-center-for-creative-leadership.jpg\" alt=\"Infographic: 5 Steps to Simplify Change and Turn Intentions Into Reality\" width=\"800\" height=\"423\" \/><a><\/p>\n<p><strong>The book <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.ccl.org\/usa\/change-now-five-steps-to-better-leadership.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Change Now!<\/em><\/a> takes you through these 5 steps that will help you follow through on turning intentions into reality and making a change in your life:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>1. Get Focused.<\/h4>\n<p>Yes, you have a massive list of things you could do, should do, or want to do \u2014 but you can\u00a0only change one thing at a time. Pick <i>one<\/i>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Focus on a change that energizes you.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on a change that creates positive outcomes.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on a change that is at the right level of difficulty \u2014 not so easy that you don\u2019t feel\u00a0challenged, and not so difficult that you can\u2019t make the change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>2. Choose \u201cWhat.\u201d<\/h4>\n<p>This is also called goal-setting. Just be sure to\u00a0<a href=\"\/articles\/leading-effectively-articles\/achievable-personal-goals-align-with-values\/\">set goals that align with your values<\/a>. Do you want to change how you act? Improve a skill? Make things happen?<\/p>\n<p>Choose just a few important goals, then:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Write them down.<\/li>\n<li>Post them.<\/li>\n<li>Say them aloud!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>3. Figure Out \u201cHow.\u201d<\/h4>\n<p>You need a plan. You won\u2019t change by wishful thinking or a vague to-do list. Can\u00a0you put as much time into planning how you achieve your goals as you would planning a vacation?<\/p>\n<p>Your change plan should be built around 4\u00a0things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><b>Tactics:<\/b>\u00a0What are you going to do? When will you do it?<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><b>Resources:<\/b>\u00a0What will you invest? What is available to you? What do you need from others?<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><b>Tracking:<\/b>\u00a0How will you check how you\u2019re doing? When will you check?<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><b>Celebrating:<\/b>\u00a0How will you reward yourself when you achieve milestones and goals? Who will\u00a0you celebrate with?<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>4. Anticipate Trouble.<\/h4>\n<p>Things will go wrong. You will be thrown off. Anticipate obstacles, adapt, find a Plan\u00a0B, don\u2019t give up. Be on the lookout for top troublemakers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Time<\/li>\n<li>Other people<\/li>\n<li>Fear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>5. Change Now!<\/h4>\n<p>Take a step. Take another. Put your plan into action, monitor your progress, and make necessary adjustments along the way. Remind yourself to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep your eyes on the finish line.<\/li>\n<li>Pay attention to your impact.<\/li>\n<li>Meet failures head-on.<\/li>\n<li>Adapt and adjust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Are you ready? The authors of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.ccl.org\/usa\/change-now-five-steps-to-better-leadership.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Now!<\/a><\/em>\u00a0say you are.<\/strong> You already have ideas and dreams\u00a0and glimmers of what\u2019s next \u2014 personally and professionally.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re waiting for a better time to get started \u2014 <em>don\u2019t.<\/em> If you\u2019re waiting to have more time \u2014 <em>it\u2019s not going to happen.<\/em> If you don\u2019t know what you need to learn \u2014 <em>just pick something.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Action and effort will bring unexpected ideas, insights, rewards \u2014 and results.<\/p>\n<h2>Ready to Take the Next Step?<\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>Help your leaders turn intentions into reality\u00a0with a customized learning journey for your leaders using our research-backed modules. Available <a href=\"\/leadership-solutions\/leadership-topics\/\">leadership topics<\/a> include\u00a0Authentic Leadership, <a href=\"\/webinars\/leading-through-change\/\">Leading Through Change &amp; Disruption<\/a>, Communication, Innovation Leadership, Self-Awareness, and more.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don&#8217;t wait to start creating the change you want to see in yourself or your career \u2014 act now! Discover the secrets of how to turn intentions into reality with these 5 easy steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":48328,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48321","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","categories-leadership-tips","audience-leaders-managers","impact-level-individuals","region-global","article-type-leading-effectively-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Change Now! 5 Steps to Turn Intentions Into Reality | CCL<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Start creating the change you want to see in yourself or your career by turning your best intentions into reality with these 5 easy steps.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ccl.org\/articles\/leading-effectively-articles\/change-now-make-intentions-reality\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Change Now! 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