(Or… be careful what you’re silently aiming at)

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, I thought it might be entertaining—and genuinely useful—to look more closely at a line that has puzzled, irritated, and intrigued people and me for decades:

“We always get what we intend.”
— Werner Erhard, founder of est (now Landmark)

At first glance, it sounds either brilliant… or completely wrong.

I mean, really?
If that’s true, then why don’t I have six-pack abs, a clutter-free desk, a million in my bank account, and a perfectly calm mind by now?

Good question. Great Question!

And it turns out that question is exactly where the learning begins.

Goals vs. Intentions (They Are Not the Same Thing)

Most of us start the year with goals.

Lose weight.
Write the book.
Grow the business.
Be more present.
Stop procrastinating (starting tomorrow).

Goals are targets. They live in the future. They’re measurable, admirable, and often exhausting. Not to mention easy to dismiss.

Intentions, on the other hand, are quieter.
They’re not what we say we want.
They’re what we are already oriented toward.

This is where Erhard’s line starts to make sense.

What If Intention Is Not What You Declare… But What You’re Aiming At?

Here’s the uncomfortable (and freeing) part.

When Erhard said “we always get what we intend,” he wasn’t talking about vision boards or affirmations. He was pointing to something much subtler:

Our lived results tend to line up with our underlying orientation, not our stated desires.

In other words, you might set a goal to be peaceful…
while holding an intention to avoid discomfort at all costs.

Guess which one wins?

Not because you failed.
Not because you lack discipline.
But because intention is the deeper rudder.

A Simple, Everyday Example

Let’s say someone sets a goal to “speak up more at work.” This one is mine. My boss often said that I should speak up more often in the boardroom.

Sounds great.

But underneath that goal might be an unspoken intention:

• “I don’t want to look foolish.”
• “I don’t want to rock the boat.”
• “I want to stay safe.”

Now notice something important.

If my behaviour results in staying quiet, staying safe, and avoiding exposure…

From the system’s point of view, I have succeeded.

I got exactly what I intended. I may not like the result, and I didn’t say one had to.

This is why willpower feels like pushing a car uphill with the parking brake on.

This Isn’t a Problem. It’s a Design Feature.

Here’s where this stops being discouraging and starts being useful.

If we always get what we intend, then:

• Our current results are not a verdict.
• They are information.

They’re pointing us—not to what’s wrong—but to what’s quietly being prioritized. Where our focus and attention is.

And the beautiful thing?

Intentions are not fixed.
They shift naturally with insight, not effort.

Using This for Good (Without Turning It Into Another Self-Improvement Project)

So how do we work with this idea without weaponizing it against ourselves?

Not by hunting for “bad intentions.”
Not by forcing new ones.

But by getting curious.

You might gently ask:

• What does my system seem committed to right now?
• What feels more important than the goal I say I want?
• What am I trying to protect, avoid, or preserve?

Asked in the right mood (hint: settled snowglobe), these aren’t heavy questions.
They’re clarifying ones.

And clarity has a funny way of reorganizing things all by itself.

A Different Way to Start the Year

Maybe this year isn’t about setting better goals.

Maybe it’s about noticing:

• the direction your inner compass is already pointing,
• the quiet logic behind your current results,
• and the fact that nothing here is personal or broken.

If Erhard was right—and I suspect he was pointing to something real—then the game isn’t about trying harder.

It’s about seeing more clearly.

And when intention naturally shifts, as our thoughts do, goals often take care of themselves.

No white knuckles required.

A Gentle Reflection

If your life were already giving you exactly what it’s designed to produce, what might it be faithfully delivering right now?

Not as a judgment.
Just as information.

That’s usually where the new year actually begins.

Much Love,

As I like to do, here are a couple of videos: