From Intention to Impact: Listening for the Right Feedback

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At the recent Minnebar 19 conference here in Minnesota, during my session on Intentional Adaptability, a participant asked me a question that stuck:

“How do you know your Big Intention is working?”

It’s a powerful question—because setting a Big Intention is only the beginning. Living it is the real challenge. And to do that well, we need to check in with ourselves. That’s where feedback loops come in.

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What Is a Feedback Loop?

A feedback loop is a system that helps us observe the effects of our actions and use that information to make adjustments.

It’s common in systems thinking, biology, and Agile delivery—but it’s just as powerful when applied to personal growth.

In the context of the Agile Best Self framework, a feedback loop gives us signals—internal or external—that tell us if we’re showing up aligned with our Big Intention. Just like in Agile teams, the feedback loop allows for adaptation, growth, and course correction without judgment.

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My Big Intention: Health

For 2025, my Big Intention is Health.

It’s not just about physical health, though that’s a part of it. It’s about creating a healthy rhythm for my body, mind, and relationships. I lead in a way that promotes wellness. I build energy, not drain it.

But naming the intention wasn’t enough. I had to ask myself:

Am I living it?

That’s where feedback loops came in.

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How to Find Your Feedback Loops

Here are a few ways I started to notice feedback loops connected to my intention of Health:

• The Table Stakes – What’s the number on the scale? How about your key markers in your blood work?
• Physical energy – Was I energized or depleted at the end of the day?
• Mood and mindset – Was I reacting from stress or responding with clarity?
• Daily habits – Was I making time for sleep, movement, and hydration?
• Nutrition – How did I feel after a meal?
• Conversations – Were people noticing a change in me, or was I showing up the way I always had?

Each of these became a signal. When I felt misaligned, I asked:

“What feedback am I getting right now? What’s this moment trying to teach me?”

These weren’t failures. They were feedback.

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Agile Best Self Principles in Action

Several Agile Best Self Principles make feedback loops not just helpful, but essential:

• Principle 6 – The most effective way to be your best self is to be mindful and intentional. Feedback loops are rooted in mindfulness. They ask us to notice how we’re showing up.
• Principle 7 – Investing time in yourself is the primary measure of progress. Feedback helps us see where our time is (and isn’t) supporting our Big Intention.
• Principle 12 – At regular intervals, reflect on how to become your best self, then tune and adjust behavior to be in alignment. That’s a feedback loop—inspect and adapt for personal growth.

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Five Types of Feedback Loops

Need a place to start? Try these:

1. Body Signals (Internal Loop)

Are you tired? Energized? In pain? At ease?

Your body gives you amazing real-time feedback. Listen with curiosity, not judgment.

2. Emotional Awareness

Are you feeling connected, anxious, resentful, or proud?

Emotions are data—they point you to what matters.

3. Reflection Rituals

Use journaling, check-ins, or daily questions:

“Where did I show up aligned with my Big Intention today?”

4. Trusted Circles

Per Principle 4, engage your trusted circle. Ask:

“How have you seen me live out my Big Intention lately?”

5. Environmental Signals

Look around. Does your environment support your intention or work against it?

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Grace Is Part of the Loop

At the conference, I said:

“Look for the right feedback loop—and have grace for yourself if it’s not going the right direction.”

That’s the key. Feedback loops aren’t scorecards. They’re compasses. And grace turns course correction into growth—not guilt. Sometimes life gets messy. Sometimes the loop feels fuzzy. That’s OK. The point is to notice, learn, and shift with compassion for ourselves.

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Your Challenge: Define and Use Your Feedback Loops

If you’ve already named your Big Intention—great. Now it’s time to live it. Here’s your challenge:

1. Identify 2–3 feedback loops connected to your intention.
2. Check in daily. Ask: What signals am I noticing?
3. Adjust accordingly. Small course corrections add up.

If you haven’t picked a Big Intention yet, start with this question:

“This is the year of ______.”

Let your answer guide you—and let feedback help you stay aligned.

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Final Thought

Your Big Intention is more than a phrase. It’s a way of being. And feedback loops are how you listen to your life.

When you embrace feedback—not as criticism, but as guidance—you empower yourself to adapt with clarity, compassion, and courage.

Let’s turn intention into impact—one feedback loop at a time.

Copyright © 2018 – 2025 Michaele Gardner and Brian Hackerson