An Ounce of Intention is Worth a Pound of Longing
You’ve been dreaming about making a change. There in the midst of the have-to’s and the should’s of the daily grind, you find yourself thinking how nice it would be to take some time to focus on you and the wonderful things you just know you could do if only your life would allow for it. The desires seems so vast and wide, but the chances seem so small and slim. But your objectives may be closer than they appear.
Perhaps the only thing standing between you and your heart’s desire is a lack of real intention, because longing without intention does little to move you beyond the daydream stage.
No one loves a good daydream more than I do. It can be the foundation on which a better life is built. Every time you fantasize about a better life or a better you, you’re laying the groundwork for a potential building project, but if you never move beyond the act of daydreaming, the construction can be put on hold.
Intend to Notice Your Dreams and Act On Them
Make an effort to catch yourself daydreaming. When you do, pay attention to the details of your desires. What are you longing for? What things do you want to change about yourself, the life you lead, the world you live in? Then ask yourself this simple question: what do you intend to do about it?
If you intend to do nothing or wait for a miracle, then please understand there’s a good chance you just shot your dream in the foot. But if you can state an action you intend to take, you’ve begun the process of giving your dream a helping hand.
Maybe you want to know how to paint. So what do you intend to do about it? Do you intend to take a class? Do you intend to buy a book to study? Do you intend to buy some paints and brushes and dive in?
Maybe you dream about being self employed. So what do you intend to do about it? Do you intend to spend some time researching various business ideas? Do you intend to learn some skill to improve your chances of success? Do you intend to build a website, get some business cards to hand out, a shingle to hang?
Intend to Overcome Obstacles
But, you might be asking, what do you do when you encounter an obstacle? That’s easy; you ask the same question: what do you intend to do about it? Do you intend to let it defeat you, or do you intend to find a way to eliminate it or maneuver around it? Do you intend to ask for help? Who do you intend to ask? Where do you intend to look for a solution?
If you keep asking the question and stay committed to following through on your answers, over time you might find yourself turning things that once seemed like mountains into mere molehills and brick walls into speed bumps.
Intend to Move Forward
When I began this website, I wasn’t precisely sure about what it would become, but I moved ahead with the intention that I would learn more as I went along. The intention is paying off and while I was driving to work the other day, I had a moment of major clarity. Before that, I wasn’t sure how to explain to a stranger what Mildly Creative is or what it is I do here or plan to do here. In other words, I didn’t have what some would call my elevator speech, a quick description you can give about your work in the time it takes to ride from one floor to the next. Now I do.
Mildly Creative is a gentle approach to personal growth for creative people, and thus what I do here and plan to do in the future is really quite simple. I help creative people grow. Now that I understand it, there’s only one question: what do I intend to do about it? I invite you to follow along as I answer that question and put the answers into practice.
Tell Us What You Intend to Do
And as I move forward, why not share your intentions with me and the other creative people who find themselves on the exact same journey? You can do so in the comments section below. So tell us, what’s your dream and what do you intend to do about it?
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I intend to open a private school with an emphasis on art and civic responsibilities. I intend to begin market research, real estate research and govt. grant research.
Hi Jonathan. That’s a killer dream. I love it. Please keep us posted on the research.
OK you caught me. I’ve been daydreaming about learning to draw. I have the love, the eye, but not the skill.
Hi Beth. Even though I haven’t taken full advantage of them, I highly recommend two books. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards and Creative License by Danny Gregory. The first book is an excellent resource for teaching you the components of drawing and you’ll be amazed the progress documented by students who have taken the course. I’m dying to go to the week long workshop in Chicago this October but don’t think that’s doable this time around. And Gregory’s book will give you the permission to draw to your heart’s content.
I dream about creating paper models of vehicles, airplanes and warships. I already installed free 3D design application Google SketchUp and intend to practice everyday, creating 3D models of everyday objects – beginning from a model of my room – and it’s redesign. There are many short movies on YouTube about that and lots of tutorials on the web, so I’m confident that I can accomplish it.
Keep fingers crossed
Okay, here goes: I intend to start an online book store selling a unique type of book, despite the economy and the so-called demise of the book in the digital age. I just need to fight the resistance that has come up since I decided to do this, and stop the negative loop in my head. Your article today really helped me do that – thank you, Ken.
For what it’s worth, kudos to Johnathan, Beth and Leszek for putting their dreams and intentions out there. Let’s all do it!!
Here’s what I intend to do! I have a passion. I build (make) 3 inch fully functional replica leather Western Wade-style saddles.
A few minutes ago I finished writing the first draft of the web site content pages. Editing, revising and condensing process begins tomorrow. Also, I am writing tiny saddlemaking articles that will be compiled into an e-book.
When the web site content pages are edited, the web site will be build. The domain name “TinySaddles.com” has already been registered. My intent is to have the web site operational by 8/31 and the e-book on the site available for download by the same date. That’s my intent.
I am building products to help trainers and teachers grow as professionals.
I have my first product, the website, the blog – just need to get the commerce side set up. (coming soon).
This article helped me to be more relaxed about the whole thing. I tend to get driven. I need to get relaxed, sit back and enjoy! Keep these coming.
That’s right, Linda. Enjoy. Have fun. And remember my two step process for making meaning. 1) Make it. 2) Make it better. Repeat as often as necessary.
I’m starting up a Guitar Teaching Business – focusing on beginners and intermediate lessons and using this income to eventually replace my IT job (that’s the dream part). I have a mentor who is teaching me on the business side of things as well as the teaching side. Several steps have been taken and I am almost ready to open shop.
Thanks to you Ken!
Thanks,
Mo
Ohhhh, cool. :O) I dig guitar. We’re on vacation this week and visiting some friends. Their son is a budding guitarist. He has guitars on his walls, his bedsheets, his brain. Love it.