As the proverb states, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. There’s an even clearer alternate version: “Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works.” Despite its lofty place in personal development, setting intentions can be dangerous because the ego often uses it to give us the illusion of progress while keeping us the same. We set the intention, generate positive energy—making us think we’ve done something—then forget it. Setting an intention is a great start, but if you don’t follow it with action, it’s like turning your steering wheel in the direction you want to go, then leaving your car parked. You might walk by and admire the direction the tires are pointed, but without a plan, and getting in and driving, that intention won’t get you anywhere.

Think about the last few intentions you set. Maybe they were New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it was the intention to lose weight, write a book, or be more loving. Reflect over the last year of intentions. How’s it going so far? It felt good in the moment you set it. Your resolve might’ve been high. Maybe you even sensed a shift in energy, like something real was happening. And that’s often where we stumble. Remember, the ego’s job is to keep us where we are while giving us the illusion of moving forward. Only after the momentum has died do we realize we hadn’t moved at all and we must start over again—or give up on the idea altogether.

I’m not saying to stop setting intentions. Your intention is like the rudder on a boat, giving direction to your life force. But you, like that boat, must be moving to benefit from it. You must align your actions with your intentions. It doesn’t have to be a big action. A page a day becomes a book or more in a year. A walk a day becomes a healthier body in months. A few minutes of meditation a day can create a new consciousness. A life of small steps can take you around the world. As Oscar Wilde said, “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”

For the next 14 days, match your strongest intentions with specific actions. And if you really want to succeed, make a plan. In the end, as Picasso said, “What one does is what counts, not what one had the intention of doing.”

To Your Emergence!