We all know what's said about good intentions and the road they pave; what remains unsaid in that old saw is that intentions can be great, but without a solid action plan to back them up, they rarely amount to much.

Approaching your actions with intention can make your tasks more meaningful, more efficient, and more enjoyable; by the same token, creating intentions with a solid plan for putting them into action means you're more likely to actually see them come to fruition. Here are some tips on bridging the divide between intention and action.

Examine the source of your intentions
Intentions tend to come in three different flavors. First up are the things we intend to do because we must, such as finishing a report at work, cleaning the gutters at home, and balancing the checkbook. These types of intentions are necessary evils; we may not like the process, but the outcome is important.

Some of our intentions are aimed at things we want to do, such as planning a vacation, putting together a photo album, or making reservations for a play that's coming to town. These intentions help fill some sort of desire and are generally pleasant.

Finally, many of our intentions stem from things we feel we should do, either because someone else has suggested as much or because we feel some pressure from within. Should-based intentions are easily the dreariest of the three types, as they're often not enjoyable and generally don't have a clear and direct benefit.

Whenever possible, get rid of your shoulds and focus instead on the other two types of intentions. Your sense of accomplishment will be greater, and you'll be less likely to resent the time you spend on the task at hand.

Look for possible pitfalls
Of course, regardless of the source of your intention, there are plenty of potential pitfalls between stating it and actually accomplishing it. These pitfalls are precisely what cause so many intentions to fizzle out.

To avoid these snags, think about all the reasons you might not put your intention into action. Would acting on your intention be too time consuming? Too expensive? Too boring? Is your intention so vague that it's hard to know how to act on it? Are you likely to become distracted in the middle of working on the task you intend to do? Is it something you need to do but don't especially want to do?

For example, if your intention is to clean out your rain gutters at home, you might realize it would take the better part of an afternoon, require a new ladder, and be a task you dislike so much that you'd look for any escape from it, even though you know it needs to be done. Keeping these potential pitfalls in mind will help you with the next step: steering clear of them.

Plan around the pitfalls
Knowing the potential pitfalls that could keep you from accomplishing your intention, you can now create a specific plan to avoid them and actually follow through on your intention.

If, for example, not having enough time is one of your pitfalls, break the task down into steps and plan to do a bit at a time. If what you intend to do costs more than you can afford, start a savings fund specifically for that activity, and make it a priority to contribute to your fund on a regular basis. If you think you're likely to get distracted while working on your task, enlist the help of someone you trust to keep you focused and on track.

No matter what your intention or the possible pitfalls that might get in your way, make sure the outcome and purpose of the intention are clear from the start. Knowing why you're aiming to do something and what the task will look like when it's done can make it easier to commit to it from start to finish.

If you're anything like me, you'll always intend to do more than you possibly can do. And while having some big pie-in-the-sky intentions can keep our lives creative and interesting, being able to follow through on most of our intentions will help us make the most of the everyday. Good intentions and an equally good action plan pave the road onwards and upwards.