Living Life on Purpose: Being Intentional

Several years ago, I was returning from a corporate meeting held in a place that I had never been before. One hour into the drive, I realized that my surroundings were unfamiliar. Another thirty minutes down the road, and I was certain that I was not where I expected to be. My only option, given GPS was not yet common, was to stop at a convenience store and buy a map. I asked the clerk, somewhat embarrassed, where I was. With knowledge of my location and my newly purchased map, I was able to navigate home arriving one hour later than I expected.

With GPS functionality, common on any smartphone, we simply indicate where we want to go, and the application calculates the route and gives us feedback of potential road hazards and delays. And if we happen to make a wrong turn, it quickly "recalculates" the route. Theoretically, we are never lost.

How many times in our lives do we realize we are not where we expected to be, that perhaps we made a wrong turn, or that we encountered an unexpected detour? How amazing would it be to have a built-in GPS that constantly displays our desired path, that warns us of the delays or dangers ahead, that recalculates when we experience a wrong or unexpected turn?

While we cannot always anticipate roadblocks and detours, we can live our lives with purpose and intentionality. Intentional living is not just about focusing on what matters; it is about actively shaping our lives to mirror our desired outcomes and living in a way that reflects our core values. It is about understanding what we want to achieve most in life and being intentional about all we do to reach our desired destination. Intentional living helps us to stay on our desired course when the distractions, competing voices, and the daily demands of life are almost overpowering.

Defining Intentional Living

Intentional living centers on the deliberate, conscious choices we make to align with our values and most important goals – it is about understanding and embracing our core beliefs, then guiding our daily actions to reflect these principles. This lifestyle demands a high level of self-awareness and a strong commitment to live purposefully, despite the challenges we may face.

At the heart of intentional living lies the identification of our individual purpose and core values.? Who we are and what we want to become provide two key data elements: Where I am and where, or in this case, what I want to be.? Our core values are the "how" we work toward our goals, how we intentionally drive toward our "destination".

Steven R. Covey once said, "The Main Thing is to keep the Main Thing, the Main thing." Simply put, this is the recipe for the "secret sauce". We can fill our lives with so many "good" things, that we neglect the essential things. I can volunteer for so many worthy causes in my community and spend all my time doing good, yet in doing so, I risk neglecting the most important relationships in my life. Life isn't about making "good" choices, it is about making the "best" choices - those that align with our goals, values, and purpose.? Choices that take us where we want to go, that help us to be who we want to be.

Being Intentional in Every Moment

Starting Small and Setting Intentions

Embracing intentional living begins with small, manageable steps that focus on our purpose and what we want to achieve in life. It begins with a clear sense of the desired outcomes for each of our critical roles. It requires consistent planning, course corrections and effort. Relatively small, consistent actions that are aligned with our purpose and desired outcomes are powerful.

Structuring Your Weeks and Days Intentionally

To live intentionally, it is crucial to have a "map" for each week and each day. Each week I review my roles and goals and then establish my "Big 3"; the three most important things that I need to accomplish that week. Every morning, I establish my "Big 3" for that day. Certainly, flexibility and adaptability are crucial; however, intentionality requires that we remain focused on our desired outcomes as we ultimately decide how to use our time.

Overcoming Challenges to Living Intentionally

Living intentionally often means reevaluating the conventional definitions of success to align more closely with personal values and goals. This journey starts with a deep dive into self-awareness, identifying not only passions and talents but also recognizing personal opportunities for growth. By establishing a clear understanding of oneself, it becomes easier to live with purpose and contribute to something greater.

How we face adversity can also be transformative in our lives of intention.? Adversity can help us see ourselves as we truly are.? It can help us to clarify our purpose and it can drive the motivation needed to make a more meaningful impact. By embracing challenges, we can further solidify our resolve to live intentionally, focusing on opportunities to become who we want to be and to positively influence others and their surroundings.

Conclusion

The journey to live life with intentionality, underscores the incredible power and fulfillment derived from aligning our daily actions with our core values and personal ambitions. Through identifying who we are, who we want to become, our core values, and taking purposeful actions, we establish the "route" that enhances our lives and our sense of personal accomplishment. The alignment between our actions and our deepest values steers us toward a more meaningful and purposeful life and helps us to find peace along the way.

Reflecting on the demands of living intentionally invites us to consider the significance of being intentional to achieving what is most important in life. It challenges us to reevaluate our daily choices, ensuring they contribute to our long-term aspirations. The commitment to this lifestyle, despite the obstacles it may present, promises a transformative journey with profound impacts on our life and the world around us.

As I reflected on my journey driving home years ago, the unexpected stop to purchase a map, and the effort to find my way home from an unfamiliar place, I was reminded of the need to be intentional in the constant need to be true to ourselves, true to the person we want to become, true to those who depend on us to help show the way, and true to the desired purpose of our lives.