Intention & Action

Thursday July 2, 2015 #737

Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.

~Darryl Anka

This quote, often wrongly attributed to Einstein, is nice way to think about intention and action. I do believe there is an energy and a certain frequency that seems to surround those who consistently succeed and find joy in life.  When combined with positive and consistent action, our intentions can help to attract the people and circumstances necessary for success and happiness.  Find and/or create the frequency that works for you.

Getting the Best

Thursday June 18, 2015 #733

“It’s a very funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.”

~William Somerset Maugham

Countless books and articles have been written about using the power of intention to get what you want.  But intention alone will never consistently work.  Only intention combined with action and tenacity will produce results.  But action and tenacity without intention is just walking blind.  Intend for the best, act with tenacity, and get what you’re after!

Curiosity

Tuesday April 28, 2015 #720

“Oftentimes the thing that makes the difference between a good student and a poor one, a good learner or a bored human being, is just a little curiosity. If you have it, cultivate it, feed it. Never let it go. If you do not have it – get it. Wonder, watch, ask questions, be alive. It’s just that simple”

~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

The difference between sustainable, recurring success and a pattern of failure often comes down to a question of curiosity.  Spend a little time today in critical reflection of your own thought patterns, habits and behaviors.  Do you accept information and decisions at face value, or do you ask questions and clarify intent?  Do you hold on to your opinions and beliefs long after the basis of these have been refuted or challenged?  Or do you allow your beliefs to evolve through an ongoing habit of questioning, reading, listening, and learning?  It is your choice.  You can be stuck in a pattern of mediocrity and even ongoing failure, or you can take control of your destiny through critical thinking, intelligent inquiry, and flexibility to change and evolve.  Be curious!

How We Spend Our Days

Thursday April 16, 2015 #717

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

~Annie Dillard

Our lives are built on a succession of days.  So each day is precious.  Try not to waste today on aimless wandering, or activities that do not enrich you and serve your values and purpose.  Use today to intentionally be the person you want to be, to take actions that help you move toward achieving your goals, and to make a difference in the lives of people around you.

Vision and Intent

Thursday March 19, 2015 #709

“Things never happen on accident. They happen because you have a vision, you have a commitment, you have a dream.”

~Oscar de la Renta

As you work to achieve the things you want in life – personally and professionally, the key is to have clarity on what you are striving for, and intentional actions to get you there.  As you think about your progress, ask yourself if you are truly clear on how you define success and whether your actions are in alignment with the path to achieve that success.  Is your time being well spent or are you drifting?  It is important to do this status check regularly.  Have and know your vision, stay committed, and act.

Worries

Tuesday March 17, 2015 #708

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which have never happened.”

~Mark Twain

I suppose it is just part of being human, but I have come to realize that the time spent worrying about things that may go wrong is an exercise in pure futility.  If you reflect on the many things you worry about, you will know that the vast majority – if not all – of these worries never happen.  The positive aspect of “worry” is that you stay aware of things that could go awry and intentionally take steps to avoid these things.  Beyond that logic though, worry serves no purpose.  The lesson is to be pragmatic and intentionally avoid obvious pitfalls, and to avoid obsessing over things that not only are easily avoidable but are highly unlikely to happen.

Learning From Our Mistakes

Tuesday February 17, 2015 #701

 “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.”

 ~James Joyce

 Rather than focusing on avoiding mistakes, which are inevitable for anyone trying to push themselves to achieve their dreams, to challenge their capabilities, and to explore possibilities, the real value-add activity is to use mistakes to learn.  When mistakes are a result of carelessness, the key learning is the need for intentional action.  But when mistakes are the result of intentionally pushing boundaries, the discoveries can be profound – but only if you take the time to carefully reflect, learn and apply the learning to your actions ahead.  Push yourself to discover the wisdom in your inevitable mistakes.

Leadership

Tuesday January 20, 2015 #695

“When I talk to managers I get the feeling that they are important. When I talk to leaders I get the feeling that I am important.”

~Alexander Den Heijer

When you think of your supervisor and your interactions with them, how do they make you feel?  Energized or defeated?  Respected or not?  Valued or disregarded?  Leaders can have an amazing impact on the engagement, effectiveness, and energy of their teams simply by the way they make them feel in their interactions.  Most of you are leaders.  Now ask the same questions of how you make your team feel.  Energized, respected and valued?  Or defeated, disrespected and disregarded?  Make no assumptions on this – be intentional on body language, tone of voice, choice of words, and the unique characteristics of each of your people.   No matter what your experience is with your own leader, be the kind of leader you would want to have.

Happy New Year!

Thursday January 1, 2015 #692

“New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.”

~Sarah Ban Breathnach

On this New Year’s Day, I wish for you a year of significant, if not dramatic growth for yourself and all that you hold dear in your professional and personal life.  That growth will not come without purposeful and persistent action on your part.  Don’t wait for good things to come to your door!  Get out in the world and push yourself forward to the amazing potential that is within you.  Perhaps more importantly, be intentional about helping others accelerate their own growth.  You have amazing talents and gifts that if shared, will give others hope, challenge their thinking, and spread the potential for improved circumstances across your family, community, and workplace.

My best to you and yours as you launch your best year ever!

Intentional Activity

Tuesday December 16, 2014 #687

“Determine never to be idle…It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”

~Thomas Jefferson

We are coming in to the last days of 2014 and I would like you to take this moment to reflect on one question:  As you look back on the year, how much of your idle time was intentional?  Being idle is not being lazy or wasting time, if the decision is intentional and tied to your goals.  We must give ourselves space and time to reflect, recharge, and assess our personal and professional activities.  Going full-out, 100% of the time only proves you are always moving, but not necessarily for the right reasons.  So, if you look back and determine that the time you were idle was usually intentional and spent in quiet contemplation, congratulations!  You have probably been far more productive than those who never paused to recharge their batteries and ensure they were on the right track.  If your idle time has been more a case of laziness, or if you never paused at all, I suggest you determine how you will schedule appropriate down time in 2015 – purposefully and designed to keep your times of activity the best they can be.