If you take a look at your intent, are you expecting something to happen?  Are you controlling something you cannot control?  This might be subtle.

For example, with plant medicine, it is common for people to set an intent:

I intend to have no expectations.  

But notice that that is an expectation.  During the experience they find their mind constantly worrying about having expectations.  

It turns out we can’t control our expectations.

In his ‘black swan theory’, Nicholas Taleb’s argues that 'unexpected' events truly drive history - that it is not the probable outcome that is important, but the improbable one.

The way around hidden expectations is to set an intent within what you control.

Once we realize that what we seek is to have our own experience, not someone else’s, we can restate:

I open myself to have my own experience‍

Opening is a powerful internal decision. You have decided to be open to whatever comes your way without fighting it, trying to control it.

To want comes from Old English to have a lack of.  It is different than longing - to have a desire for something.

Be careful of wanting things. You will manifest the lack of what you want.

I want financial success, I hope it comes my way

You will stay wanting or hoping, as in Dante’s Gates Of Hell - “Abandon every hope, who enter here”. The inscription is telling us, to get out of hell, stop hoping.

The root cause is a a feeling of scarcity.  Set your intention to address the root cause.

I intend to open myself to the sense of abundance that I deserve

Here we recognize that we do not control our feelings, either. Otherwise we could just tell ourselves feel abundant. Instead we must open to it, and let it arrive through whatever path it takes. And importantly, we state that we believe we deserve it.

‍We are in control of our beliefs.

Emotions are powerful.  If you push against them, they will push back with equal and opposite strength.  

Clues are words like stop, conquer, fight, suppress, all of which will tie you in knots fighting with yourself.

Recognize that you can also engage with emotions by listening, feeling, allowing, giving, sitting with, being open, surrender, maintaining, and otherwise creating space for emotions to build and dissapate.  

Powerful emotions come from deep needs.  A angry child needs love and attention. Your body collapses because it needs rest.

Consider these intentions

I intend to listen to my inner child.
I intend to give my body the rest it needs.

Implicit in these intentions are the beliefs that listening and loving is unconditional.

Or, assert that you will remain conscious and aware in the face.

I intend to sit with my confusion and be open to what emerges.
I intend to face my fear and maintain my sense of compassion.
I intend to surrender to my feelings and maintain my sense of self.

In the above steps, we began with our wants:

Make more money

teased out the underlying beliefs

If I don't make enough money, I will die alone

identified the underlying feelings and emotions.

I'm afraid of dying alone

created a new belief,

I believe the universe will give me what I need, no more, no less.

and formed an intention

I open myself to a sense of abundance

Like riding a horse, manifesting intentions takes practice. It will take a bit of work before you can gallop off into the sunset.

The next step is to choose something specific to practice.

If you are the kind of person who doesn't want to rely on anything besides yourself,

I open myself to receive...

When working with plant medicine:

...and I intend to focus on my breathing and let the medicine do the work.

is always a good idea.

With these guidelines in mind, write the next iteration of your intention.