This is the second part of the Law of Intentionality. Here in this episode, we will cover the followings topics:
- 4 Steps of Transition from Assuming as Coincidence to Making it Intentional.
- Knowing the Differences between Accidental Growth vs Intentional Growth.
- Mindset and Attitudes Needed to be Intentional Leaders.
After knowing the challenges or gaps, these are the four steps of transition from assuming growth as a coincidence to making it intentional.
Aim for big questions.
Instead of wondering, “how long will this take?” change it into “how far can I go?”
I’m not directing you to discover the answer. I want to take that question to expand your capacity to look further. Whatever comes to your mind, it’s not the absolute answer because we will never know what our future holds, and as we progress, we consistently surpass what we thought we couldn’t do.
Do It Right Away
Being intentional should be our priority; if we let growth be our priority, the unnecessary excuse can’t bury priority. Maxwell also wrote that “later is a dream-killer.”
For example: “Diet starts tomorrow, learn and challenge new things tomorrow, pursuing our passion when we are finished do this and that.”
Quit delaying your growth, and as you read this content, I hope we all craft a different ending from what most people had.
Ask yourself, “what makes you delay your growth and start?”
No matter how throughout our plans were, most of the time, we missed something. That’s proof that our future is full of uncertainties.
To apply this with a more realistic story, this is my story:
After the pandemic and graduate life affected my life, my life journey was not smooth. When I was about to graduate from college, I thought it would be easy to find a stable, permanent job or apply for a scholarship to study abroad. Well, both plans were gone in vain. And for the whole two years, I’ve struggled to meet my parent’s expectations and the pressure from the outside.
But, if I look back, if I had a job, I wouldn’t write all of these articles and neither gotten closer to my dream of being a full-time writer. So, I plan to break my family’s tradition by pursuing what I am passionate about and securing my journey not to look and settle to be a ‘corporate worker.’
It sounds simple, right? I give you a glimpse of my vulnerable journey. If I can come up with such a decision, I hope you can make a better decision for yourself, too.
Nowadays, we can get information with a simple click and type. So, be wise when choosing and picking your resource. After all, your growth journey will always take you to a better level, so why don’t you start now? The soon, the better, right?
Again, “we don’t decide to start or stop because of what we don’t have.”
Facing Our Fears
These five fears are the most popular ones:
- Fear of failure
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of being financially unstable
- Fear of what people will say or think
- Fear of success will separate you from your peers (alienate peers)
What fears affect you the most? (You can answer in the comment section, journal book, or file. Do whatever suits you)
For me, I’m afraid of being overextended financially. A long time ago, my family’s financial status wasn’t that stable. So, the first story is that my parents needed to pawn their assets to bring me home after I was born, and then when I was in primary school, I realized that my father had a huge debt and still recovering until now. That’s one of the reasons behind my fear.
Back to the topic, it doesn’t matter which fears affect us. We all live with worries, and I don’t want to play the victim or think I have the worst condition. According to the theory, we need to allow ourselves to find the answer to the “what emotion will I allow to be stronger?” question.
“FEED YOUR FAITH and STARVE YOUR FEAR!”
From Accidental to Intentional
Don’t wait until you feel stuck to start a new something. Staying at a stagnant level is not an option. Feel free to change your direction if you think it’s taking you wrong.
There are a few differences between Accidental growth and intentional growth.
| Accidental | Intentional |
| Often easily quit and play safe | Persistent and take risk |
| Stop learning after graduating | Growth mindset |
| Depends on luck and waiting for the jackpot to come | Relies on hard work and takes complete responsibility to grow |
| Start someday or tomorrow | Start today |
| Learn only from mistakes | Learn before making mistakes |
We are the most significant influence on ourselves, even though people, circumstances, and the environment also greatly influence us. However, what we plant within ourselves significantly affects our identity and who we are. Remember, growth doesn’t happen accidentally. We need to chase it.
Every direction in life is based on our ability to develop ourselves. It’s like a never-ending cycle that we keep going through. The cycle might look like this:
Being intentional is what makes us prepared to develop ourselves or other people. Start prioritizing yourself because we can’t give what we don’t have. We can’t grow to our full potential if we always think and believe we already know much. With a sarcastic comment, “you are not a genius when you think you are a genius.”
“Nothing is easy, and nothing is a fast-serving goal.”
INTENTIONAL LEADERS
Last but not least. Here are what we need to have to be intentional leaders.
Purpose-driven
Find your purpose in life and be persistent when you decide to start working on that.
This kind of person has the highest self-awareness (internal and external). They have found their path and don’t wait until they are good at something. Instead, they start fixing whatever needs to be fixed along the way.
Pro Tips:
Spend each day or whatever suits you to improve what you already have. Because there is no master in this world, the only thing that makes people “expert” is their experience. They get familiar with the uncomfortable and unconsciously manage to change their painful and uncomfortable situation to be what they are good at.
Self-Disciplined
You can write down what you want to obtain or achieve in detail (what steps will you take, what you think you need to improve, get familiar with the opportunity cost, and the possible obstacles). You can make short-term goals (3, five years, ten years).
Never Satisfied with the “Status Quo”
There is no limit to expansion. Skies are not our limit; a bigger world exists outside the skies. We must take into consideration stretching our comfort zone. Be uncomfortable with yesterday’s achievements.
The real winner is someone other than someone who wins once. The real winner is someone who doesn’t lose competitiveness and keeps showing up in the championships without making excuses about their hardships or ages, lack of power, etc.
Do whatever you must, fix what can be improved, keep your daily routines, and repeat the whole process as your goal.
Passionate Being The Best Each Day
Hurdles are similar to speed bumps; we must slowly bump and move on. Don’t keep repeating the same lump over and over again. When you decide and do ‘that’ something. It’s already in your past. Don’t expect and wonder about a different result if you start it differently.
What we can do is learn from our mistakes. We can regret it but don’t take too long.
See Success as a Journey, Not a Destination
When you see your success as part of a journey, you will realize that each day will bring you different colors, and we have to bring on the competitive spirit inside of us to keep us alive.
To practice, you can create an “I should” list rather than a “to-do” list.
Arrange Daily Agendas to Match Your Purpose
Get ready to accomplish something each day. When you are willing to add value to other people’s lives, you will discover and find a sense of accomplishment and gain momentum. It’s not only your attitude that’s going to improve, but on the other hand, you also feel rewarded. What’s better than being rewarded?
That’s all for this month’s content. For the next content, I will write about the Law of Mirror, or how we should believe in ourselves to maximize our growth potential.
References
https://www.theblacksheep.community/
https://www.business2community.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/law-intentionality-growth-doesnt-just-happen-casey-s-putney/
Maxwell, J.C. (2012). The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. Center Street.
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