Start the Year with Intention: Why Your Decisions Matter More Than Your Intentions

As we step into a new year, there’s a lot of conversation around goals, vision, and intention.

We think about what we want to change, what we want to achieve, and who we want to become. It’s a familiar rhythm — reflecting on the year that’s passed and imagining what could be different in the one ahead.

But over the past few days, one thought has stayed with me:

The life we experience this year will be shaped far more by the decisions we make than the intentions we set.

Growth doesn’t happen just because we hope for it. Change doesn’t come simply because we believe it should. And impact doesn’t appear without action. At some point, intention has to turn into decision — and decision into action.

There’s a story in the Bible that illustrates this so clearly. Jesus approaches a fig tree that, from a distance, looks full of life. It’s covered in leaves and gives the impression that it’s ready to offer fruit. Jesus goes to the tree hungry, expecting to find something to eat. But when He reaches it, there is nothing there.

The tree looks established — but produces no outcome.

This moment isn’t really about the tree itself. It’s a picture pointing to a deeper truth about appearance versus outcome. Fruit doesn’t appear because a tree looks healthy; it appears because of what has been cultivated over time.

In the same way, the outcomes we want in life don’t happen simply because we desire them. They come from the decisions we make consistently.

At the start of a new year, many of us have good intentions. We intend to grow, to be more confident, to live with purpose, and to make an impact. But intention without decision keeps us stuck in thinking mode.

Just like the fig tree, it’s possible to look ready, to appear established, yet still have nothing to offer when the moment comes. This isn’t about blame — it’s about awareness.

Often, this gap between intention and action shows up quietly. It looks like knowing what you want to change, but delaying the decision to start. Feeling called to more, but staying comfortable with familiar patterns. Waiting for confidence to arrive before taking action. Hoping things will improve without changing what you’re choosing day by day.

None of this means something is wrong with you. It simply means awareness has arrived before alignment — and that’s a gift.

Here’s the part we don’t always like to face: outcomes don’t just reflect our desires; they reflect our decisions. The life we experience is often shaped by what we choose consistently, what we avoid addressing, and what we tolerate instead of changing.

This isn’t about guilt or pressure. It’s about ownership. And ownership is where real change begins.

As we step into this new year, instead of asking only What do I want this year? it may be more helpful to ask:

What decisions am I willing to make — and act on — to create the outcomes I want?

Because clarity without choice doesn’t move us forward. And belief without action remains potential.

This is where the R.I.S.E. framework becomes practical, not as something to study, but as a way of living intentionally. Growth begins when we decide who we are committed to becoming. Identity is shaped by the choices we make daily about what we accept, tolerate, and pursue.

Purpose grows clearer when we choose to show up and align our time and energy with what truly matters. Resilience is built through repeated choices — choosing consistency over comfort, progress over perfection. And confidence doesn’t come before action; it grows through it. Each decision honoured strengthens trust in yourself.

Instead of trying to change everything at once, start simply. Ask yourself: What is one decision I’ve been avoiding? What is one action I know would move me forward?

Clarity often follows action — not the other way around. One aligned decision, acted on consistently, can change the direction of a year.

This year isn’t about sitting back and hoping things fall into place. It’s about choosing growth on purpose, choosing alignment daily, and choosing action even when it feels uncomfortable.

Fruit appears where intention meets action.

This year doesn’t require more intention — it requires aligned action.

If you’re entering this year knowing you want things to change but you’re unsure how to move from intention to action, you don’t have to navigate that alone. Through my R.I.S.E. coaching, I support women and young adults to make aligned decisions, build confidence, strengthen resilience, and take practical steps toward the life they feel called to live.

If this resonates with you, take one intentional step forward — and reach out if you’d like support on that journey.

I. Arise & Shine

Rise into Purpose. Lead with Confidence. Shine from Within.

iarisenshine.com