Intention

We have very little control over our lives. The past has been written and the future is uncertain—The present is the only place where we have any jurisdiction. We have agency, but only in this moment. Presence, therefore, is the relinquishment of false control. It is the “serenity to accept what cannot be changed,” as many of us may know from the familiar prayer. But there’s another line to that prayer. How do we change what can be changed?

We exercise control through intention. Purposeful action is our most powerful tool for living our best lives. Intention means making time in the future for what is important to our idea of success, and executing that vision to the best of our abilities. But as we know, intentions aren’t always realized. We may intend to spend more time exercising, reading, or volunteering, but our days rarely go so smoothly. We encounter unexpected obstacles like traffic, injury, or worst of all… distraction.

But, again, we can’t control the future. Obstacles should be anticipated, and our expectations should be tempered. Outcomes aren’t always good representations of intentions, so why are they so important to us? They constitute our public image, but intentions are a far more accurate reflection of who we are.

With that being said, the two are often correlated. The more intentional we are with our time, the greater our chances of living a meaningful life. It is with intention, that we become co-authors of our own stories—writing our part and leaving the rest to fate.

Perhaps most crucially, we must allow our lives to be co-authored. Without the “wisdom to know the difference” between what can and cannot be changed, we will butt our heads against unyielding walls. So be intentional with your time, but embrace life’s uncertainties; Aim for positive outcomes, but don’t regard them as absolute; And be present, but aim for a better future.