4088: Stop Making Goals, Set Intentions Instead by Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter on Intentional Living

Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development and Self-Improvement

Optimal Living Daily LLC

Self-improvement, Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2026

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) — Free. Want to turn today’s episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I’ll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It’s packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: ⁠⁠https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join⁠ Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4088: Stephen Warley argues that replacing goals with intentions can reduce anxiety and create more lasting personal change by shifting the focus from chasing temporary outcomes to building habits that support how you want to feel every day. Through personal stories and practical examples, he shows why intentions encourage curiosity, flexibility, and fulfillment while helping you stay motivated regardless of the final result. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://lifeskillsthatmatter.com/stop-making-goals-set-intentions/ Quotes to ponder: "Goals are hits of sugar that make you feel a temporary high. Intentions are wholesome meals that make you feel satisfied all the time." "Goals feel like an obligation. Intentions feel like an invitation to explore." "Chasing goals makes you feel like you are never enough. Intentions empower you to be yourself." Episode references: Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton – High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1011492107 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	British Gas Annual Boiler Service.
0:02.5	Right now it's got everyone raving, because it will cost you just £79.
0:07.2	That's a whopping £30,000 saving.
0:09.7	So there's no better time for a check-up to make sure your boilers fit and strong.
0:14.3	But don't dilly-dally, don't hang around, because this offer won't last long.
0:19.0	Search British Gas Boilers Service,
0:21.9	taking care of things.
0:23.6	79 pounds with membership,
0:24.6	889 pounds without,
0:26.1	versus 109 pound standard.
0:28.7	First year, new annual boiler service contract only.
0:29.8	Ends 5th of August.
0:32.6	This is optimal living daily.
0:34.1	Stop making goals,
0:36.1	set intentions instead.
0:39.2	By Stephen Worley of Life Skills That Matter.com.
0:43.9	I'm your narrator, Justin Mollick, reading articles to you every day of the year to add a little positivity to our days, really adds up.
0:47.0	We're going to keep adding as we optimize your life.
1:00.9	Stop making goals, set intentions instead.
1:09.6	This small but powerful reframing of my mindset has made me feel
1:13.5	so much more satisfied, productive, and a heck of a lot less anxious. Why? Because intentions focus on
1:21.3	creating lasting and sustained change. Goals focus on hustling after a temporary and fixed outcome. Goals can be limiting.
	...

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