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Have you ever shot an arrow or thrown a ball or maybe even thrown a piece of clothing toward a laundry basket? I think I can safely assume every person has done something like that, where they have aimed at a “target” and intended to hit that target.
Even if you’re not an expert archer or a basketball player or even a sport person in any way, and even if you have terrible aim, you know what I’m talking about here. For the sake of ease, I’m going to go with the “laundry basket” scenario for a moment.
When you have dirty clothes that you want to throw into the laundry basket or even into the washing machine, you take those clothes, you have formed an intention in your mind about what you’re going to do with them, you aim at the target (laundry basket, washing machine, someone’s head, etc. etc.) and then you move forward with that intention. You throw the socks toward the basket. You drop the towels into the washer. You ball up the shirt and try to “make a basket” or hit a running target. (heehee … have you ever had a toddler?!)
Part of having an intention requires that you know where you want the clothes to go. You must have a “goal” or an AIM. If you wanted the clothes to be washed and you intended to do a whole load, and you were pulling clothes from one basket and putting them into the garbage can, that would be pretty lousy “aim” for getting that load done. Of course you would never do that. Instead, the clothes come out of the dirty clothes basket and get dropped into the washer with perfect precision so the whole load gets washed and clean.
What is the definition of intention?
- intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal – mean what one intends to accomplish or attain
- intention implies, what one has in mind to do or bring about
- intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness
- purpose suggests a more settled determination
- design implies a more carefully calculated plan
- aim adds to these implications of effort direction toward attaining or accomplishing
I would especially like to point out the word AIM.
Aim = to direct a course specifically
Specificity is required. A certain direction. In order to get the clothes washed you must aim for the washer when throwing or dropping them. In order to make a basket you must aim for the hoop. In order to hit the bull’s-eye you must aim for the red middle portion of your target. Without aiming, you will NOT reach your destination/goal, and your intention will fall flat on its patootie.
Why is it important to understand this?
This whole concept is actually super helpful. When you make a goal, and you desire to “complete” it, you must truly intend to see it come to fruition. (intention remember is deliberate, purposeful, directional, determined, and designed) If your desire is small, if it’s not directional, if there’s not movement forward, if there isn’t a clear direction you’re aiming at you will get nowhere fast.
You must INTEND to reach that goal. You must aim for a spot in a specific and targeted direction and move forward toward that spot with purposeful deliberate actions that are designed to bring about that which you desire. Without a direction you will not get there. Without specific aim you will not get there. Without forward movement you will not get there. Without deliberate actions (pulling back the arrow, balling up the shirt, dropping the towel in the washer) you will not get there. All of these serve your intention when applied.
It can sound hard, it can feel daunting, it can look like it’s a long way … but every tiny step forward toward your intended “target” is forward movement and serves to bring about your desire.
Look at the small deliberate actions you take and see them as progress. Look at the thoughts that refine and redirect your aim. When you think you’ve “failed” or done something to get off track, just use that as a way to propel you back toward your target. You know not to go that way again. That’s progress!
I have found that being excited for something makes me move forward with ease. It’s not hard to aim at a goal when your heart is wholly in reaching that target. It’s not hard to be deliberate and purposeful in action when you love the process and you relish the little victories and you see the movement and you desire that spot you’re aiming for.
My intention today is to get the house cleaned up. It’s super messy after our morning of getting ready and getting the 6 kids off to school. So I will know that I have a desire for a cleaner house. I will intend to do the work to make it so. I will aim at having the house picked up BEFORE the kids get home from school. I will begin by working in one room, and then I will move to the next, and I will stop when I need to, to help the 3 year old, and I will stop for lunch, and I will stop if I feel tired, and I will just keep plugging away at the job until it’s done. It’s not hard, I have a deliberate course of action to take, and I know, that as I keep moving forward, I will “accomplish” the goal. The house will get picked up.
If I were to stop cleaning and grab a book and sit on my bed and read for 4 hours, my goal might not be accomplished. Would that be bad? No. I would not have a clean house before the kids come home though, so the next time I’m faced with a morning of messiness that I want cleaned, I will know that if I choose to sit and read all day, the house won’t get clean. What I choose to do is up to me. There’s no one telling me I have to clean my house. I want it picked up because I prefer a clean house, but if it doesn’t get done, nothing will fall apart, things won’t go haywire, and the world will remain the same.
To accomplish the intention of a clean house is easy if I am deliberate and purposeful and design my day around that goal.
To have a day of relaxing and a little “vacation” from the duties of life is easy if I am deliberate and purposeful and design my day around THAT goal. (I love a good book)
Just choose. Choose what you want, set your desire, make your intention, and then do it. Make it happen. Aim for the target with purpose. It will be easier and easier as you keep moving toward that target. If it’s a long term goal, keep moving forward. If it’s a little “clean house” goal, keep moving forward. No matter the target, keep moving forward.
In the movement you will be inspired as to which ways to turn and which things to let go of and which things to embrace to bring about that which you intend to bring about. So make the shift when you get a new idea. Turn that way if it looks like the target is more clear. And as you keep moving forward the excitement will grow (or the outcome will become more real, more reachable, more attainable) and you will soon see that ANYTHING is possible if you intend to bring it about.
You just have to make a choice and then keep choosing it over and over and over. (TRUE desire!) You can’t fail if you are deliberate and purposeful and intentional and you keep moving.
honorthismoment – #100somethings – 5/100