Intentional
Do you lead an intentional life?
In your life, are you the pilot or a passenger?
When thinking about our lives, it can be helpful to think about what “intentional” means. For me, leading an intentional life is about choice—making our own decisions about what we do, think, and feel. It means charting a path for ourselves and navigating that path effectively.
Experiences
Many people go through their lives engaging in only those experiences that pop up. Something comes across their path—a job, an experience, a friend—and those things become their life. They aren’t proactive in creating their lives—their lives just happen. Others only live the life that is expected of them. Expected by their parents, their teachers, or their circumstances. They do what is expected of them, not what would give them a sense of happiness or meaning according to their values and passions.
Leading an intentional life takes some thought and a big dose of self-knowledge. We have to know what we’re passionate about, what makes us happy, what our values are, and what gives our life meaning. We have to know how we interact with people and what kind of people interest us and excite us. We can use this self-awareness as a filter for opportunities that cross our path, take the initiative, and seek out those people and experiences that are consistent with the lives we want.
Flexibility
Once we know what we want and are on a path toward getting it, does that mean we have to stay on that path? Does it mean we are committed to our direction? Living an intentional life also means being intentionally flexible; it means being open-minded and allowing our path to change.
A good analogy for this is surfing. Surfers know they can’t change the nature of the waves. They observe the waves and the break, and put themselves in a position that is most likely to result in the best ride. They understand and accept that there will be days when the surf is lacking, but they also know that the surf will always come if they are patient. They are both proactive—choosing the best spots with the information that they have—and flexible; they change their plans when conditions warrant.
Intentional people are full participants in their lives. They aren’t just watching their lives happen; they take the initiative and make things happen. They see and feel the waves coming in and they choose the best ones; they don’t just bob around aimlessly. They are open to changing circumstances and don’t try to fight the inevitable.
Although every life is different, there are some common themes in an intentional life:
- Not drifting, being the navigator of your life
- Being yourself, not allowing people or circumstances to dictate who you are
- Seeking out experiences that are meaningful, fulfilling, or fun, not just whatever comes along
- Being open to new, interesting, or different experiences or people; not allowing preconceived notions to get in your way
Your life is yours to live. It’s up to you to make your life everything it can be. Don’t rely on happenstance or other people to create a life for you. Create your own life according to your own ideals. Develop your vision of what an ideal life is, then move forward and live that life.
It’s your life; how will you live it?
