An Intention Sets The Tone
Brian Ford
Using personal development to fundraise for charity | Self-Improvement Podcaster (20+ million downloads) | Social Impact Leader (Nonprofit founder at For Purpose Foundation)
My wife Irene is remarkable and very inspiring. She grew up doing gymnastics and still trains and competes as an adult, getting back skills that she only was able to do in her prime. Last week she was frustrated though because she has a big competition coming up in a few weeks and she injured herself by twisting her ankle.
Motivated to heal it as fast as possible, she pulled out all the stops - ice bucket, compression recovery, acquiring a stabilization boot, doing physical therapy exercises… Whatever it takes to get better quickly.
As someone who helped to build and a sports recovery technology company that got acquired, and as a former D1 student athlete, I know a fair amount about recovery. And I have recommendations for her... But it’s a fine line to play between offering to help someone and supporting them.
In my morning meditation I forecast the next 24 hours and set an intention for my health choices, my work tasks, and my quality time with others. This was on a Tuesday morning and every Tuesday evening we go for a nice walk near the ocean with friends. Knowing Irene was unsure about if / how she could do the walk, I set the intention to prioritize supporting her. Whatever she reasoned was the right path forward, my intention was to not challenge it even if I disagreed with it.
It’s with that clarity of intention that I was able to show up for her in the best way I knew how. She came up with some ideas to go for the walk in the boot, bring a scooter, ask us to walk slower… And amid all of these options my intention was to support her in doing what she wanted to do.
Interestingly enough when I approached the situation with that energy, she wanted my perspective and recommendations. So I provided them unattached to whether she’d take them or not, and it turns out she did!
The insight here is to connect with your intentions and let that determine the tone of your actions. When you have an intention, you have a specific purpose for doing what you’re doing. This purpose is connected to the highest version of yourself, and it helps you hold yourself accountable to that higher standard.
Intentionality is the North Star that I have in my life, and being intentional over being productive is one of the 7 Fundamentals To Self Improvement. Check out the rest if you want to build up your life the right way!