That One Intention

Amara knew something was missing. She was drowning in her work, moving from one task to another like a cog in an endless machine. Her ideas were sound, her work flawless, yet she felt like a shadow in her own career. When her boss dropped a ticket to the city’s annual leadership conference on her desk, she saw it as both a nudge and a warning: Stand out or stay stagnant.

The conference hall was buzzing, the energy palpable. Amara scanned the room, feeling small among the polished, self-assured professionals. When Liana Monroe took the stage, her first words silenced the room. “There was a time when I felt like an extra in my own life,” she began. Amara felt a jolt—those words hit too close. She leaned in, captivated by Liana’s story of intentionality, of stopping the cycle of hard work without focus, and creating a career she could claim as her own.

It was then that Liana’s voice faltered, her expression suddenly raw. The room hushed further, almost holding its breath. “I almost didn’t make it here,” Liana admitted. She shared a memory that shook everyone listening: a moment years ago when, on the brink of burnout, she had driven herself to the emergency room, convinced her heart was failing.

Amara’s pulse quickened. Burnout? She had just dismissed her own migraines and fatigue as “part of the grind.” But Liana’s story was different—she described how her relentless pursuit, without focus, had nearly ended her career. Only then did she realize that survival, let alone success, required intentionality. She needed to choose her path and take control of it.

Amara sat frozen in her chair, staring at her hands, now clenched tight. She saw her own trajectory colliding with Liana’s story. Could that be me? she wondered, the shock jolting through her. For the first time, she realized she was hurtling down a path that could lead to her own breaking point.

The next day, she stepped into her office with a renewed urgency. Her gray cubicle was the same, but she wasn’t. She began pushing her ideas into the spotlight, not just as tasks but as opportunities to stand out. She asked herself, “What am I here to do that no one else can?” She decided to focus on her storytelling skills, weaving meaning and purpose into every project.

Months passed, and Amara's once-overlooked ideas turned heads. She was summoned to present to the leadership team, and this time, she didn’t hold back. She opened with her story—a real, raw moment she’d had with her family, connected to the project’s mission. Her voice shook slightly, but she saw her audience leaning in, listening. The first 10 seconds, she thought, they matter the most.

Soon after, she received an unexpected email—a message from Liana Monroe herself, who had heard about Amara’s transformation through a colleague. “Intentionality saves lives,” Liana wrote. “And careers. Never forget it.”

Years later, Amara stood before a group of young professionals, her voice steady, her story unapologetically her own. “I thought I had to work myself to the bone to prove myself,” she said, her eyes meeting theirs. “But what I needed was to work with purpose. Your work shouldn’t break you. It should be the best of you.”

In the front row, she saw one woman with eyes wide, leaning forward, as if holding onto each word. Amara recognized that look, the one that said, This changes everything.