There is one thing that both rational and intuitive thinkers have in common. It’s intention. To move forward, to get any real momentum, one must first know his/her intention.
One of the ways to illustrate the importance of intention is by understanding the power of manifesting. When manifesting, one cannot just say I want a lot of money. This is an unfocused goal or desire, with nothing substantial to make it a reality.
True manifesting takes intention. You must have a specific objective, and a purpose, and you need to take action. One cannot simply sit at home and hope for the desired outcome.
Intention requires preparation.
Many of us do not know our own intention. Of course, we have dreams, goals, and desires, but without intention, we have no real understanding of how we will get there.
Another way to say this is, a lack of clarity. You may kind of know what you desire, often because it’s a shiny object, but you might not have a deeper understanding of what’s involved. When we see someone rich or famous, we might desire to have those same pleasures, yet we have little understanding of what it means for us. And if we don’t understand the meaning, how can we have intention towards reaching that objective?
One important aspect of intention is motivation. What is your motivation to stay the course when things get shaky?
There is a wonderful spin on the classic “Genie in the lamp” story, by Neil Gaiman. The story is about a genie who grants wishes but finds himself at the command of a woman who desires no wishes.
The genie knows that humans can be greedy, needy, or desirous. But when he encounters a human who tells him, “I’m good,” and wants nothing from him, where do we go from here?
What becomes of the genie’s intention if he is unable to do what he was created to do? And more to the point, what is the woman, Hazel’s intention if she, as she says, “is good” and has nothing she wants?
This unique twist on a classic illustrates that desire is not always tied to intention.
A strong intention is tied to so many important aspects, but a key to not losing momentum is to remove yourself from the outcome. A vital quality of the Disruptive mindset is that the Disruptor doesn’t know the outcome of his or her pursuit. They only know that they are driven by an unrelenting curious nagging, or what I call, ‘pulling at a thread’.
Their intention is to unravel the thread to see where it leads. They don’t or won’t know what is at the end until they have taken it as far as it can go.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to intention except when it harms another. But intention, especially for today’s lesson, is about one’s focus and drive. If your intention is to “get even” or prove you were right and they were wrong, then your energy and efforts are being wasted.
When you are looking to prove yourself, you are looking for acknowledgment from others that who you are and what you do are good and right and have meaning. However, you should already be living a life that is filled with good and right intentions without needing confirmation or validation from others.
A good gauge for assessing your levels of intention and the value you place on it is to look at the motivations behind it.
Here are some questions to help you focus and orchestrate your intention, direction, and desire:
- How will you know when you’ve got what you want?
- How will it change you?
- Who do you LOVE?
- How do you want to be REMEMBERED?
- Where are you making a CONTRIBUTION or DIFFERENCE?
- Where are you out of INTEGRITY?
- What people or places FILL you with ENERGY?
- What people or places DRAIN you of ENERGY?
- What LEGACY will you leave your children?
- What LEGACY will you leave the world?
- What would it mean if you got what you want?
- What do you love to do that makes you FORGET about TIME?
- What would you CHANGE?
- WHY?
- What COMPELS you?
- What’s MISSING in your LIFE?
- What STOPS you?
- What SCARES you?
- What is your BIGGEST GIFT?
- When you leave a room, what do people miss MOST about you?
- What are you currently TOLERATING?
- What gets you EXCITED?
- What would you do if you had more TIME?
- What would you do if you had more MONEY?
- What would you do if you had more INFORMATION?
Intention is much more than a goal. It is a philosophy about how you want to live your life without needing validation or recognition. When you strip away ego, your intention and focus become clearer, and your drive and motivation accelerate exponentially.
You should always know your intention when pursuing a curiosity, goal, objective, or desire. It will help you stay on course and clarify your true path. Genius is tied to curiosity. Curiosity is tied to discovery and exploration. And discovery and exploration are tied to intention.
Find your intention and you’ll uncover both the motivation and the clarity of your direction. And if you can master the art of ‘not taking yourself too seriously’, you’ll have a great time along the journey.