“A must read! Bailey does a masterful job providing a road map for anyone who has ever wanted to reach a goal and be confident of how they got there.”
Eve Rodsky,
author of Fair Play
“A powerful guide to turning ambition into action— by focusing not on willpower but on what matters most.”
Charles Duhigg,
author of Suppercommunicators
“A refreshing, counter-intuitive approach to productivity that cuts through the noise and actually helps us accomplish our goals. Spoiler: thankfully, it’s not about willpower.”
author of Essentialism
Setting goals is easy. Following through on them? A whole lot harder.
It turns out, the secret to finishing what you start isn’t sheer willpower or the latest productivity hack. It’s becoming more intentional.
With Intentional, bestselling author Chris Bailey distills a decade of deep research on productivity to deliver a profound, practical, and counterintuitive road map to getting things done. Forget extensive to-do lists and a never-ending workload. To reach your goals, you must structure your daily actions around what’s most important to you—and let go of the rest. This way, getting things done becomes second nature.
Buy Now
More About Intentional
Integrating the science of desire, values, and procrastination with the wisdom of Buddhist monks, Bailey lays out step-by-step strategies for intentional accomplishment, covering how to:
Structure short-term goals to increase the likelihood of completion
Make unappealing, boring, or frustrating tasks more attractive
Lower the chance of procrastinating on long-term goals
Create a system for tracking progress
Know when a goal isn’t for you—and when it’s time to let it go
What matters most to you? Intentional shows that the answer has the power to unlock not just greater productivity but a deeper and more satisfying sense of accomplishment.
“A masterclass in harnessing intention to drive action—practical, insightful, and deeply human. Read this book, and you’ll never struggle to achieve your goals again.”
Resources
Here are the resources I mentioned in Intentional!
The cumulative goal pacing tracker (Note: to edit, go to File → Make a Copy)
The chore tracking sheet that you probably don’t want (Note: to edit, go to File → Make a Copy)
Praise for Intentional
“Chris Bailey tackles a critical aspect of personal transformation that’s too often overlooked. An important new contribution to the genre!”
Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Slow Productivity
“Intentional is a must-read! Bailey does a masterful job providing a road map for anyone who has ever wanted to reach a goal and be confident of how they got there.”
Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play
“In Intentional, Chris Bailey offers a clear, engaging guide to following through with purpose—whether you’re tackling everyday tasks or striving for deeper fulfillment.”
Katy Milkman, PhD, author of How to Change
“A masterclass in harnessing intention to drive action—practical, insightful, and deeply human. Read this book, and you’ll never struggle to achieve your goals again.”
Dr. Joseph Jebelli, author of The Brain at Rest
“Intentional shines a light on the hidden architecture of follow-through, offering rituals and simple practices that align today’s choices with long-term meaning. When you can finish what you start, your work and life feel more purposeful.”
Tiago Forte, author of Building a Second Brain
Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators
“In a world obsessed with more, Chris Bailey reminds us that success is not about doing everything, but about doing the right things with purpose. This isn’t just a book about productivity—it’s a blueprint for living a more meaningful life.”
Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential
“[Intentional] offers both scientific insight and everyday strategies for becoming more intentional in work and life.”
Anne-Laure Le Cunff, author of Tiny Experiments
“Desires are one thing. Making them happen is another. Fortunately, Chris is here with gentle and insightful tips to help you achieve what you set out to accomplish. Highly recommended for anyone who has big goals and wants the best possible chance of making them come true.”