Be Intentional
Of all the motivational quotes I’ve read and inspirational videos I’ve watched (which is a lot!), those two little words, “be intentional”, are still one of the most profound pieces of advice I’ve ever received.
There’s a certain matter-of-factness those two words carry that seem to make my goals and dreams less intimidating by simplifying them down in to little pieces of actionable things.
I no longer worry about every little step involved with reaching my goal, I just ask myself, “What’s my next step? How can I be intentional about this?”. It’s not about success or failure, it’s about doing. It’s about the journey.
“Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
If I asked you to be intentional about building a product, how would you respond? Would you sit around thinking about it for a long time? Would you procrastinate? No. You would take whatever small steps towards building a product that made sense for you.
Maybe that means learning more about entrepreneurship, buying books and taking classes, designing some wireframes, or trying to better define your product first. It doesn’t matter. The point is, the only way to be intentional is by doing.
It can be as simple as deliberately setting aside time to figure how you can take actions that will improve the chances of reaching your goal. It’s the difference between believing something is a good idea and taking action towards making a good idea become a reality.
So, the next time you think about something you want to achieve, don’t set a goal, be intentional about a goal.
Be intentional about learning. Be intentional about staying relevant in your industry. Be intentional in your designs. Be intentional with what you say. And, of course, be intentional about being intentional (yippee!).
The only way to be intentional about goals and dreams is by taking action and doing. There’s no pressure to succeed. There’s no fear of failure. You’re just creating, doing, and learning. Take steps towards reaching your goals, be intentional, and do things.
Thanks for the great advice, Matt!
