Intentionality: The Key to Living Your Life to the Fullest

Have you ever started something, a project or a simple chore, but you just do not get to finish it because you are easily distracted by the things that are going on around you? And then you’ll move to the next project and ultimately do the same thing as the previous one – not finishing it. 

Do you often feel stuck - you get up at the same time, do the same stuff every day, and still feel like you are not getting anywhere? 

Do you feel as if you have no clear direction in life? It is as if everything you did and chose was out of the need to have a choice during that moment, not because you really wanted it. 

These feelings prevent you from truly enjoying life, living out your purpose, and performing at your best. 

If you have felt this way for quite some time, you may need to work on your Intentionality.
  

The importance of being intentionally intentional 

Intentionality is the ability to think and act “on purpose” and deliberately, knowing what it takes to control your outcomes and destiny. 

You will struggle to set and achieve goals when you lack this competency. This is because you are unsure of or easily distracted from what you ideally want to achieve - whether it’s living your ideal life, finding your ideal position or career, or being intentional in choosing friends or a mate. You will tend to give in to the inevitable currents of life because you are unsure of the desired outcomes.  

Developing your intentionality will allow you to make decisions and take actions that are consistent with your goals and values. Intentionality also enables you to manage distractions, stay focused on your objectives, achieve your goals, and make things happen.
  

Here are some of the benefits you will get when you develop Intentionality: 

Intentionality makes you healthier.
 

Nowadays, where most people live a fast-paced life, we often choose comfort over health. We opt to eat fast food over home-cooked meals as it is the quickest and the easiest way to ease our hunger and satisfy our cravings. We prefer to spend our relaxation time watching our favourite TV shows rather than doing exercise. Though providing instant relief and comfort, all these can bring about health issues in the long run. 

If you are intentional in living a healthy lifestyle, you know what is right for you, what goals to set, and what action steps you should take to achieve them. Intentionality also enables you to make decisions and take action in a manner consistent with your goals and values. For instance, you just came home from work and are feeling a bit tired to cook. You can always choose to have pizza delivered to your doorstep, but you are on a diet and have resolved to eat healthily. Because you have high Intentionality, you can ward off the sluggish feeling and cook yourself a healthy meal. 

Intentionality improves your relationships.
 

Living an intentional life enables you to manage distractions. It keeps you focused on the things and the people that really matter, like your family – your significant other, your children, your parents, your close friends and even your employees. 

For instance, you are choosing to say no to extra hours at the office because you want to spend time with the ones you love. 

Intentionality helps you become a great leader.

 

If you are a leader with intentionality, you have a clear vision of where you want to go. You have goals and are focused on achieving them. You can also make decisions and take action consistent with your goals and values. 

Intentionality makes you enjoy life more. 

Intentionality makes you enjoy your life more because you can live in the present and let go of the things you cannot control instead of worrying about them. 

Having high intentionality enables you to manage any distractions because you are in control. 

Developing Intentionality 

Indeed, intentionality brings out the best in us and, in turn, helps us bring out the best in others. Each of us has been gifted with an innate ability to be intentional.  

Otherwise, civilization as we know it will crumble, and the earth will be a place for the living dead. It is a key component of Emotional Intelligence and a significant factor in how well we manage ourselves.  

With this in mind, you may want to consider implementing the following tips for increasing your Intentionality: 

• Identify Your Core Values. 
• Become actively intentional; take a step back and ask yourselves, "What would be ideal here?" (in this meeting, on this day, in the coming week).  
• Allow yourself to set an intention for what you want and actively pursue it. 
• Allow yourself the surprise and excitement of generating richer, more meaningful, and loving encounters, tighter friendships, and stronger bonds with others; greater success at work, with your teams, direct reports, and other colleagues. 
• Never be distracted from your goals and aspirations. Keep your eyes on the prize! 
• Determine your goals and create a strategy to achieve them. 
• Let go and free yourself of toxic relationships and replace them with healthy and supportive ones.  
• Ask for help and support. If you have difficulty setting and keeping your goals, you can ask for help from a reliable friend to keep you accountable. Or better, seek help from a professional coach or trainer. 

Michael Gerber said it best: “The difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next. The difference between the two is between living fully and just existing.” 

So be intentional in developing your intentionality and live your life to the fullest! 

We Are Here to Help

At  People Builders, we have a team of expert coaches and trainers who are intentional in helping you and your team develop Intentionality. Contact us today for a quick chat to see how we can partner with you to train and coach you and your team in this competency.