Be intentional. That’s it.
It sounds corny and cheesy, and even merely motivational at first. But it is the truth. Dreaming is not enough on its own. Hoping or wishing for it to happen on its own is in many cases an exercise in futility. You need to act with intention and with purpose. You need to be deliberate with the habits you tolerate, the friends you choose, and how you spend your time.
It is amazing, how we as humans have been created. The Word says “in the image of God.” And if we take a moment to reflect on the nature of our creator, we realize that nothing happens or exists by accident. The entire act of creation, the calling of the Fathers of Israel, the death of Jesus on the cross, the new world that is to come and so many other examples come to mind. All of it, sharing the commonality of deliberate actions with a planned outcome.
It’s a truth that I think for me has become more and more evident as I have been growing up, and the demands of life seem to keep expanding. Growing work responsibilities such as the joy and tiring work of being a father and a husband, the burning desire to create a legacy for me, the responsibilities thrust upon me to start to see myself as a leader in my family and my community, and the long-held dreams to be a successful writer and business person have for a season had me underwater.
It has been quite convenient to go with the flow, focusing only on the most demanding or urgent tasks as they arise As an example – I realized I have been sitting on my draft novel for almost 2 years now, telling myself that once I get the time, I will edit and start to search for a publisher. And I think it is a challenge that many of us at some point or another face in life, and if we do not grow out of it, we live the rest of our lives on autopilot.
So what has changed? And what is it that you and I can do to become more intentional toward achieving our dreams and fulfilling our God-given purpose?
Accept your current reality
Reality is often disappointing [Thanos]
One thought I had with my book was that I would find a job with better hours soon, and when that happened, I would have the time to happen. Sounds fairly reasonable. Until 2 years go by and the novel draft file still remains a draft.
In as much as external factors make it easier or harder to be intentional, who we are and what we do flows from the inside out. Am I a writer when I have time? Or am I a writer and I make time? Once we accept that the current situation is what it is, and it may or may not change, we empower ourselves to ask what we can do in spite of the situation, and then the need is simply to start.
Accept the cost
Luke 14:8. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
“The air you and I breathe is free. Your dreams are not.”
The air you and I breathe is free. Your dreams are not. There is a cost to them. Maybe a cost in terms of the time it requires for you to invest in them. Maybe in a certain way of sacrificial living where certain things are on or off limits, and maybe you are not as comfortable as you want to be Maybe even in terms of the need for you to get out of your comfort zone, and move careers or locations.
Whatever it is, there will be a cost to getting there, a righteous cost that is. [Bribing people or other such unethical acts are not part of these costs for the record]. Embrace that the cost required is what you need to pay to become the best version of yourself that God called you to be, and begin to pay it.
Re-evaluate your habits
Your life today is a reflection more of your habits than it is of your wishes or dreams. Do your current habits take you closer to your dreams? Are they deliberately chosen in pursuit of who you want to be? Or maybe you have never given them any thought at all? Overnight recognition or fame can occur. But overnight success is a myth.
Your life today is a reflection more of your habits than it is of your wishes or dreams.
We are what we repeatedly do, therefore, excellence is not an act, but a habit [Aristotle].
You can replace excellence with any of the dreams you have.
Being a successful soloprenuer.
Having a successful career.
Having a lovely marriage that lasts the test of time
Having fulfilling friendships. etc
Once you realize that your dreams are tied to your habits, be intentional with creating the habits that build you into the person you desire to be. [Starting with reading a good book or two on them is not a bad place to start]
Last Words
Once you do these 3 simple things, and start to become more intentional with your life, it will be important to be patient with yourself and with the process. It takes time. Take it a day at a time, a moment at a time and you will get there. As long as you do not lose heart along the way.
