I figure the rational cultists, to what ever extent they have taken on that belif system will just crap out on the terminology.

So lets try translating to them, seems to be a lot of them round here.

(in an Australian mode)
Gidday Mate!, Wadyarecon bout this? I recon if you have some sort of plan, Just thinking about it gets your mind going and yer just notice more stuff? yeah?

(in my best Faux psychologist)
By directing your mind towards a goal, you become more aware of the choices you can make that could lead towards it, and more prepared to chose in a way that is likely to lead to that goal.

(the full monty)
The dance of intention and perception?
Some of the more self delusional rationalists, speak as if they are not aware of their basic biological functions, or proud that they have learned to limit many of them.

It has been rationaly demonstrated that my brain is simply too small and not elegant enough to accurately model both itself, and the universe around me. After that awareness, all there is is huristics and patterns.

If I throw a ball off a balcony, it will accelerate towards the ground at 9.8m/s/s
It's not an opinion, an intention, some people have claimed that their belief will substantially change that, but I am yet to see any compelling evidence, and well, I can not prove it, but I recon if someone could make bricks fall slower, we could make that pay on a roulette wheel, if we lacked ambition.

It's not real. The shape of the ball, the density of the air, many other factors, the ball is unlikely to fall at exactly 9.8m/s/s but it's likely to be somewehere round there.

Similarly, if some hippy smokes too many sticks and daydreams. It doesen't make those dreams come true. If the hippy gets off it's ass and goes and does the things that need to be done, while dreaming? Well I hope I am not the only one who dreams about world peace, maybe my intention there is not producing measurable results.

The effects of daydreaming, or thinking in a more formal manner, are difficult to measure. I have seen studies that indicated that elite athletes benefit from imagining almost as much as from training. Goal setting seems very trendy, I'd love to see some more studies. Last one I saw was a commentary on the fact that the problem with focus was the lack of accounting for things that were not being focused on.

What do you mean by intention? Be more specific or give examples.