Living From Intention

Courtesy Flickr Creative Commons

I write this on the eve of my 47th birthday. My wife and kids are out and I have the house to myself. I am reflecting on my life thus far. I have to say the ride has been amazing. I feel so fortunate to be where I am. I owe it to the people closest to me who helped bring me to a path of self-discovery.

Self-discovery has been critical for me. After a tough run in my 20’s, I realized that if I didn’t want to be stressed out my whole life, I needed to figure out how to manage it. Twenty years later, things are significantly better. I’m not sure I will ever get exactly where I want to be. I’ve come to find that it’s a moving target. Besides, with nothing to strive for, life would be far less gratifying.

It’s hard to truly appreciate great things without the experience of not so great things. After coming through the latter and learning from it, I find myself with a tremendous desire to help people, like me, to wake up and get where they want to go in life.

Many years into my self-discovery journey I began to grasp the concept of living from intention. Once I did, my life improved dramatically. It’s profoundly simple: Decide what you want, then point your mind and energy in that direction. If you have aspirations to have a second home that you can live in for part of the year, start figuring out what you can do to make it happen. Then do three things: 1) identify and focus on what you want; 2) visualize the desired outcome; and then
3) feel your emotional reaction to obtaining that desire.

1. Focus
Learn as much as you can about what you want to be, do, or have. Who has done it? Find out how they did it. Let’s say you want to be a multi-millionaire. Find out how others have gotten there. Use ideas and practices that lead to their success. Emulate them to the extent you are able. Find a mentor that can help you.

2. Visualize your desired outcome
See it in your mind as clearly as you can. Surround yourself with pictures or objects that draw you to it. Go there in your mind as often as you can.

3. Feel what it would be like to do, or have what you want.
Go beyond just being there. Go inside, what does it feel like? Retrieve that feeling as often as you can.

Doubts and disbelief may come into your mind, and setbacks will occur along the way. If, however, you maintain your concentration on the three points above, your life will begin to move in a more positive direction.

Don’t wait for your birthday, or even New Years, to reflect on your life and desires. Your intentions start today.

Please share your thoughts and experiences with me at [email protected].