More than likely each of us are in search of purpose at some point, or some clarity as to what this short life on earth is about. Some people assume that their purpose will come to them, by chance if you may. The problem with this is that you may get lucky, or you may be left very confused as to what you are supposed to be doing with your precious time.
There are so many different paths to take in life. For some of us, it is entirely too overwhelming to choose just one. You must start somewhere though. You must start with some intention to get what you want and need out of life, because indecisiveness kills creativity. You will inevitably have to make decisions along the way, many of them difficult.
Once you realize the direction you are heading, or want to head, these decisions become much easier to make clearly. It’s not a good feeling to feel as though you are flailing about with no real intention or purpose.
Living with Intent
The term “purpose” could be a bit overused in society today. There is this utopian view of finding your purpose in life and living happily ever after once you’ve got your purpose figured out. It is a bit simplistic.
Again, by hoping and thinking positively that good things will come to you is a bit naïve and quite frankly leaves what happens to chance. There is nothing inherently wrong with choosing to be optimistic and laid-back, it just shouldn’t be a method used in isolation.
Finding a purpose takes work, experiences, and hard decisions. After that, there will be a new obstacle to overcome. Once you have decided what you want, how will you get it? This requires making intentional decisions along the way.
The Intentional Decisions Model
An intention consists of a decision maker’s aim to bring about one particular state (usually within a given time frame). The Intentional Decisions Model may serve as a tool to visualize and monitor the decisions you are making. Ideally, the choices you make cumulatively add up to leading a fulfilling life.
That means that each choice can make a difference and should be backed by intention. It is a framework of the components of being either a) a creator of your life or b) a victim of your life. The basics of this model are:
1. Act proactively rather than reactively.
Basically, plan ahead instead of waiting for things to happen.
2. Choose empathy for others versus sympathy for yourself.
Put yourself in others’ shoes to truly understand situations rather than focussing on yourself and engaging in self-pity.
3. Be engaged over simply showing up.
Attendance in life is one thing but being actively engaged is what gives meaning to the things happening around us.
We don’t need to be happy all the time as much as we need to be in creator-mode as much of the time as possible. While happiness is a form of success, it is simply not always achievable. We cannot always control situations that happen that may make us unhappy, but we can control how we react and the decisions we make thereafter.
It is good to have strategies in place that set positive habits towards leading a life with intent. That way, if you feel yourself slipping into victim-mode, seek your strategy in place to turn that way of thinking around and shift back toward creator-mode.
Having clear and attainable goals in life is not only healthy, but also necessary. Goal setting is a separate process but making intentional decisions that support your goals is integral to achieving what you want out of life.
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