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

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-living-daily-personal-development-and-self-improvement-217043/4088-stop-making-goals-set-intentions-instead-by-stephen-warley-of-life-skills-that-matter-on-intentional-living
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-living-daily-personal-development-and-self-improvement-217043/4088-stop-making-goals-set-intentions-instead-by-stephen-warley-of-life-skills-that-matter-on-intentional-living.md
Podcast: [Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development and Self-Improvement](https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimal-living-daily-personal-development-and-self-improvement-217043)
Published: 2026-07-18T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/OLD2241462468.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/OLD2241462468.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/optimal-living-daily-personal-development-and-self-improvement-217043/episodes/4088-stop-making-goals-set-intentions-instead-by-stephen-warley-of-life-skills-that-matter-on-intentional-living
Duration seconds: 696

## Resource

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

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