Acknowledge Your Intentions

“I believe the choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.” 
 Oprah Winfrey

 

     Fifty years is a long time.  You are happy.  She is happy.  Your children are happy. Your family and friends they are all happy.  The ceremony was something to remember.  You will never forget watching your grandchildren walking down the aisle with the flowers and the ring.  The emotions were so strong when you both told the audience how wonderful it has been being married to each other for all these years.  There were enough tears in the crowd to film a wonderful Kleenex commercial.  This is what life is all about.  This is the feeling that we all covet secretly and openly alike.  You two have done what so many have failed to do.  You have truly completed each other.  Renewing your vows at a fifty year wedding anniversary is an event amongst all events.  You were able to do this because this is what you intended to do when you first married her.  For fifty years both of you have worked every day on that intention and your work has paid off divinely.  You’ve both set a great example of being a truly intentional person.  Cheers to you and many more anniversary celebrations to come.

 

     What does it take to be an intentional person?  The intentional person knows what direction he or she is headed.  The intentional person knows what he or she wants out of life and knows it will take effort to get it.  The intentional person doesn’t accept the “it is what it is” attitude.  The intentional person believes it will be what he or she intends it to be.  This doesn’t mean the intentional person will get exactly what he or she wants.  What it does mean is that the intentional person will directionally get what he or she wants.  An intentional person may intend to be a millionaire.  A millionaire is a rich person.  The intentional person may or may not get the exact million-dollar figure however; he or she will realize the intended richness.  This is because the intentional person will take actions on purpose and choose not to live life by happenstance. 

 

Millionaire Intentional Actions

 

     An intentional person who wants to be a millionaire will take actions required to become a millionaire.  An intentional person will save his or her money.  An intentional person will invest his or her money to help make more money.  An intentional person will be careful not to waste money on frivolous things just because he or she can.  An intentional person will think big instead of thinking small.  An intentional person will believe that there are more than enough opportunities abound for him or her to make it.  An intentional person will know that a lack of money may be a problem but having a lack of ideas is the only reason it can’t be overcome.  An intentional person will surround themselves with other like-minded individuals because he or she knows that collective power is greater than individual power.  An intentional person will never be satisfied being the smartest person in the crowd because he or she is always looking for an opportunity to learn something to help him or her with their intentions. 

 

   If you desire to be an intentional person you must strive to be so every day of your life.  You cannot afford to take days off.  This may sound harsh or unrealistic but it’s necessary.  Every day of your life you should acknowledge your intentions for that day and your life.  Generally, it should only take a few minutes of your time to set your day in motion down the intended path.  Yes periodically you should set aside a few hours to sit down and evaluate where you currently are and where you want to go also.  You should treat your life no different than you treat your job.  Your life is your job. 

 

Planning Confirms Your Intentions

 

     Most jobs do annual planning.  Annual planning is when someone in the organization sits down and defines what the company’s intent is for the next year.  If you work at a forward thinking company that plan will not only be for next year but the next 3-5 years.  The people involved in the process will take into account the current market conditions, what is expected to happen in the market during the planning period, the current tools of the company and the future innovations the company will create.  They will combine that with historical performance of the company and develop a plan for the results the company wants to achieve.  The rest of the year will be spent trying to achieve that plan.  The action everyone takes in the company will be focused on meeting that plan.  Sure there will be the standard actions such as personal development, team building and required training but the focus will ultimately be about the plan. 

 

     Now let’s compare that to your life.  You should take the same steps and develop a plan for your intentions for the next year.  You should be forward thinking and not only develop a plan for the next year but develop one for the next 3 to 5 to 10 years.  Then you should go out every day and work on that plan.  This is what being intentional means. If you really want the life you desire you are going to have to be intentional in your actions.  Building a 10-year plan is a daunting task.  We can go into detail on how to do that at a later date.  What isn’t a daunting task is to make the effort to be intentional every day.  One way to accomplish that is to follow the daily reminder.  

 

The Daily Reminder

     After you have acknowledged your beliefs, focused your thinking and practiced gratitude it is now time to act by being intentional.  One of the most effect ways to do that is to write down what your intentions are for the day.  Writing down your intentions help supplant them in your subconscious.  Doing this first thing in the morning is a great habit that starts the day off in the right direction.  When you get caught up in the daily minutia your subconscious will guide you to take the actions necessary to achieve your intentions.  Setting your intentions for the day is your way of being true to yourself to do the things you plan to do so you can achieve the results you intend to achieve.  If you don’t have time to write them down at least pause for a moment and declare what they are to you mentally.  Your habits are vital to your success and setting your intentions is definitely a critical habit.

 

     Every day you should take the time position yourself to have success for that day and for life.  The daily reminder is great way to accomplish that responsibility.  You start off by getting your beliefs and thinking in order.  You acknowledge your rebirth by believing you are reborn.  You set the foundation that there is plenty of opportunity for you by thinking abundance.  You think about the power within by acknowledging you are powerful.  You then move to make sure your feelings are sound by practicing gratitude for what you believe and what you have in life.  You then move to action by being intentional in the actions you will take today.  Finally you exercise the gift of creation and make sure you are working on some creation today.  Doing the reminder each day will take you less than 10 minutes.  This is a small fraction of time to invest in the success you want to achieve.  You actually will have no problem doing the reminder if you acknowledge right now your intent to be successful.  If that is your intention you will take action by doing habits that will lead to your success.  What else do you intend to do today?  The answer to that question is yours to answer and the world will be a better place each time you do.  As always I wish you the best and remind you to enjoy the journey.

 

 

With Gratitude,

Drew