Intention is our ability to redirect a (personalised) vision of the future instead of just letting our thoughts and ideals flow down the path of least resistance.

It’s something that for most they can relate to when they take themselves back to childhood, but here I want you to remain within the adult mind. 

Intentional manipulation. It is unique to our species and a tool that I actually really enjoy playing with. An example is usually during one of my weekly winter cross-country training runs, for even the most hardy of winter athletes running in the winter is a grim experience, but the act of ‘intentional’ manipulation allows even the most challenging of experiences some comfort.

Language is key. “How can I complete this cross-country route, get as muddy as I can while enjoying the process and the physical and mental benefits” 

YOU CONTROL YOUR INTENTIONS. DECIDE WHAT THEY ARE! 

It is likely that you have heard of the term, conscious and subconscious or unconscious depending where you are from – you can Google these terms for more information, but in essences we operate in most parts automatically for routine tasks such as walking, breathing, eating etc, reserving the mental processing power for a time in which it may need it.

Living with intention means choosing where to invest your focus and energy, a topic that I’ve covered in detail previously – but in most part – either the positive with gains, or the negative with loss.

WARNING CHOOSE WISELY

If you’re not careful, your mental energy will be frittered away on whatever is loud enough to grab your attention. Or you’ll spend it on other people’s “must do” list.

LIFE BY DESIGN – A TASK FOR YOU! 

Focus on the long game, design your life around what your days will look like in 5, 10, 20 years from now. Providing the mind with clear-cut stepping-stones instead of just repeating old behaviours.

Wake up, go to work, come home, go to sleep, wake up BORING. It is time to up your game.

In 5 years from this point, what will your ideal day look like?

In 10 years from this point, what will your ideal day look like? 

In 20 years from this point, what will your ideal day look like?

Once you have a rough outline, NOW is the time to add in some of the specifics. Revisit those days and add in detail, but aim to add in at least one element of mindful relaxation (meditation, prayer, stillness), physical training (yoga, run, swim, bike, gym) and the third almost missed every time is nutritional advancement, meaning that you advance and refine your dietary requirements by just 1% according to your situation and circumstance.

There is little point eating like a marathon runner when you train like a crossfitter.

From here – work what each 5 year chunk would need to provide in order to bring about that day and perhaps what it may look like if you were to manifest it into something MORE substantial that you’d previously considered. 

The PEOPLE. An area that is considered last, yet one that is fundamentally key is the PEOPLE.

People who live by Default hang around people who live by Default. Similarly, people who live by Design hang around people who live by Design. 

Choose your community carefully. As they say, "You are a reflection of the five people you spend the most time around." Make sure that the people who fill your life and your time are people who live with principles aligned with your own.

I’m not suggesting that you ditch everyone right now, but do suggest that you consciously think about where you are spending your time; with whom and how perhaps they support those three areas mentioned previously, and how you support them equally. 

If you need to find a second supportive group then NOW is the time do so…

Struggling where to go next? Why not take advantage of a one-to-one session with me Benjamin Bonetti.