Often, I write about shifting the 'context' or 'formula' for approaching life by focusing on being qualities that are congruent with abundance instead of on doing things like exercising, paying bills, and making money. When you focus on being courageous, consistent, creative, and playful, among others, you will find that you are more empowered, productive and abundant than you are when you focus only on what you have to do.

This "2-Degree Shift" approach must also be applied to your goals or resolutions because how you set up your goals will usually determine the result. You can either set your goals in a way that keeps you in the 'do-have-be' mode of operation or you can learn a new approach - one that keeps you operating from the 'be-have-do' approach. The wording of your goals or, as I call them, 'Intended Results' will either empower scarcity or abundance.

During the past five-plus years, I?ve discovered four simple criteria that must be present to have an Intended Result that empowers us and abundance. An Intended Result must:

• Be about having something instead of doing something;
• Be clear, specific, quantifiable and measurable;
• Ignite my excitement, enthusiasm, and passion;
• Support, express or connect me with one of my dreams.

Let's begin with the first criteria. An Intended Result that empowers abundance always keeps your energy and your intention focused on what you want to have. More importantly, what you want to have is an expression of who you 'be' or the abundance qualities you are 'be-coming'.

This 'Intended Result' then determines your actions. When it comes to the process of accessing abundance, it's important that you never do anything unless you are clear what you want to have or be as a result. Otherwise, you'll get trapped in the scarcity pattern of 'doing for the sake of doing' or 'action for the sake of action.'

Perhaps your 'goal' is to earn $500 additional income each month. Notice that this 'goal' does not meet the criteria of an Intended Result simply because it is about doing, e.g., earning $500, instead of having $500 more each month. Compare the two and notice what happens to your sense of energy, empowerment and enthusiasm:

• My goal is to earn $500 additional income each month.
• My Intended Result is to have $500 additional income each month.

Do you notice a difference? Does the latter open you to more possibilities - does your energy move forward? Does the former put you into 'do' mode with the work, stress, pressure, struggle or overwhelm that often results?

Consider the example of a quarterback in a football game. If he goes into the game focused only on running (i.e., doing) a specific play or getting his next first down (like 'making' $500), he will not see his receiver jumping up and down, wide open, in the end zone. If the quarterback is focused only on what he needs to do and forgets the intended result behind it, he'll miss opportunities to have the touchdown. He also will not win many games - nor enjoy playing the game for very long.

Take a look at your 'goals'. Are they about doing? (Hint: if they are about making, creating, selling, exercising, learning, recording, etc. - they are about doing.) If so, convert them to goals that clearly state the 'touch downs' you want to have.

Then, keep your eye on the end zone and take those actions that will most support you to have (and be) what you want. Remember, the process of accessing abundance begins with being and having. Our actions (the 'doing') then become an expression of who we 'be' and what we want to have.

So, what Intended Results do you have?

Teresa Romain is the President and Founder of Access Abundance! Services International, an organization founded to educate, inspire and support people to access greater levels of abundance, freedom and fulfillment in their daily lives. Access Abundance! is founded on the belief that the abundance we desire is already available to each of us. Our job is not to create it but, instead, to access it.

Since 1996, Teresa has taught, inspired and supported thousands of people worldwide through her dynamic and transformational programs and services. As a trainer, coach, program designer and author, Teresa makes the transformational process of abundance both challenging and fun, exhilarating and fulfilling, and, most of all, powerful in its results. To learn more about how you can access the abundance that is your birthright, visit her website at http://www.accessabundance.com.