A Sankalpa is an intention. It’s like a cross between a resolution and a promise, only you don’t have to wait until the new year to make one, and because it’s an intention, a Sankalpa doesn’t carry the threat of being broken, the way promises do.
In Yoga, we say that we set a Sankalpa. We are setting an intention to do something. A Sankalpa is usually set for the benefit of others, either a specific person or a group of people, whether you know them or not. Even a Sankalpa that is for yourself, though, will be of benefit to others. If you become a better and more authentic version of yourself, that can’t help but be good for others as well.
For more on setting your own Sankalpa, get your copy of Yoga Mind: Journey Beyond the Physical here.