The Power of Intention Part 10 of 10: Intentionality
March 13, 2009 by dr. lam
I conclude this 2 week series with an exercise that I found very meaningful during my EO retreat to Marble Falls a few weeks ago and that I thought I would pass along to you. Carl Reynolds, our retreat planner (great job Carl!), put this exercise together so it does not come from Wayne Dyer’s book. Intentionality is, believe it or not, a real word. However, the philosophical construct behind it is quite difficult for the armchair philosopher in me to decode. I welcome comments. In this case, we are going to treat the word intentionality and intention the same. My goal is simply to have you perform this exercise either in private or in this blog if you are so inclined. I will publish my own answers below. I hope you can skip my answers and come up with your own, then read my answers. Here we go:
PART I
Intentionality: ”When your dreams and your values are in alignment and your actions progress you towards your vision with constant purpose.”
Dreams: In this exercise we are going to dream. Take money out of the equation. what would you do with your time? Travel? Volunteer? Teach, consult, raise your kids yourself, etc. Write down a list of those activities that you would do if you had the time…Dream big or as small as you want to…. (10 minutes)
-Teach plastic surgery
-Public speaking
-Write a lay press book
-Workout every day to get more fit
-Volunteer to mentor bright young minds
-Engage in more concerted spa retreats and continue with my personal growth
PART II
Values: Now we are going to list our values. Take a moment and write down at least 5 values that are core to you. (5 minutes)
1. Passion
2. Integrity
3. Work ethic/Rest- Balance
4. Compassion/Love
5. Happiness/Positivity
PART III
Filter: List two of the dreams that make it through your value filter. (2 minutes)
1. Continue with my personal growth and achieve better balance in my life.
2. Volunteer/mentor young minds
PART IV
At this point we now have two dreams that have made it through your filter. Our next step is to be intentional in putting together an action plan that brings these important dreams to fruition. But first, describe one or two times when you knew you were in alignment with your values and your purpose. What pulled you away from that alignment? What keeps you from getting back to that alignment? Be specific. (15 min.)
I felt that my staff has been in alignment with me in the past. I felt that I was not as attuned to their needs this past year, which I have now changed. I am part of multiple accountability groups that have weekly and monthly goals. I fear not being the best leader that I can be. I fear that I will not grow personally to my satisfaction.
PART V
Intentionality: Create an action plan for one of the dreams that made it through the filter. List at least 5 activities that will need to be scheduled so that you are intentionally working towards accomplishing that goal. (15 min.)
1. Schedule body rehabilitation time including monthly rolf sessions and weekly massage therapies.
2. Dedicate one weekend day a month completely free of any thought toward work and make it entirely fun.
3. Make sure that I have built in weekly yoga and spin classes, every single week unless I am out of town.
4. Continue to work every week on creative ideas toward making effective blogs and hold myself accountable for what I write.
5. To move away from constantly being near a computer every night but to be less anchored to my keyboard. To respond to questions and thoughts no more than twice in a given night after leaving work.
I hope you enjoyed this exercise and can hold yourself accountable for your actions. If you can’t, find someone who can. Maybe we all can be cyber buddies to keep each other in alignment with our own intentions.
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This is so cool!!!!
Okay, I have to go to work right now, so I’ll do this exercise tonight and post it. Thanks!!
cool!!! thanks heather. i got a lot out of it myself. that is why i’m posting it.
Whew, I’ve been busy today! Hey, I haven’t forgot about this. I am going to have this be an exercise for my discussion group tomorrow. Will report back…
no sweat about it.
I’m back! lol
Just got done cutting and styling and all ten members of my fam’s hair! Everyone was wanting a new look for spring.
Okay, Dr. Lam, I did my best not to peek at yours. I wish that others would post theirs so mine is not the only one. Everyone in my discussion group really enjoyed this exercise, but they won’t post theirs. Thank you for sharing this! It was really helpful to find out what my dreams, passions and goals are and how to go about achieving them. I am going to be dead honest; it may sound funny though. I feel a little crazy posting all this on here (some of it is kind of juicy and all)…here it goes…
Part I
My Dreams:
1. Being beautiful, poised and sweet like Victoria Osteen, but in my own way. I want to be like
her. I love her personality, style, and manner.
Looking good- achieving/maintaining personal image ideals, such as, making my profile more harmonious through plastic surgery, maintaining fitness, fashion, nice hairstyle, etc.
2. Becoming more well rounded and mature by age 25.
3. Improving my personality, philosophies, psychology, life, etc.
4. Achieving a desired state of always living, loving and learning.
5. Enhancing my vocabulary.
6. Getting married before I turn 26, to a dream guy who fits my 10 page qualification checklist. lol
7. Having/adopting 2-3 kids.
8. Raising, teaching, and nurturing my future kids and being an awesome mother and role model to them. I dream of being like June Cleaver in a way. I really want to put a high priority on being a good parent.
9. I dream of being the doting/pampering wife to my future husband. I love the old fashioned 1940’s idealism!
10. Spoiling my future family by being the Martha Stewart hospitality/homemaker/hostess type. I am big on hospitality and dream of spoiling my future family. I guess I dream a lot about my future family…lol
11. Starting a church program to help overweight people lose weight (there’s a need for this) and to help people with image issues have confidence about the way they look and who they are, as well as to help them bring out their inner and outer beauty and passion. I dream of having this program help enrich their lives in all areas. (I believe that our society is so fast pace, hectic and focused on what society is pushing that people are getting caught up in the whirlwind of it all and are losing their individual purpose in life, their happiness and their self worth, and are filling the gap with false pleasures….just a theory I have and why I see this need.)
12 Achieving a desired state of being open, approachable, assertive, nonjudgmental, and encouraging to others.
13 Adopting the mentality that excellence is better than “perfection”, because perfection is not obtainable.
14. Adopting the mentality that trying and failing is better than not trying at all.
15. Learning to ballroom/swing dance for fun!
16. Getting really good at photography, videography and computer graphics.
17. Having a good relationship with God, family, friends, future husband/kids, people.
18. Etc. (This is the main stuff.)
Part II
Values:
- Being encouraging to others.
- Having enthusiasm for life/goals/family/people.
- Obtaining confidentiality. ( not gossiping about people- still working on this though.)
- Having courage to be my outgoing self.
- Always having hope.
- Adding pizzazz and creativity to life.
- Being open minded, original and assertive.
- Serving others and being sensitive to their needs.
- Being honest and sincere. (Still working on being more honest to myself and others, but it is still a strong value that I have).
- Having esteem for others and myself.
- Having Biblical morals and ethics.
- Having motivation.
- Being responsible.
- Being reliable.
- Having loyalty to nobility.
- Being thoughtful and kind to others.
- Having patience. (Still working on this.)
- Having passion. (Still working on this.)
- Having inspiration.
- Having forgiveness. (Still working on this.)
- Being conscientious.
- Being able to admit when wrong.
- Being generous.
- Being faithful.
- Being dependable.
- Being approachable. (Still working on this.)
- Having humor. (Needs some improvement…lol)
- Being content. (Still working on this.)
- Having determination.
- Being in tune with my inner voice. (Still working on this).
- Being interested in people and listening.
- Etc. I can’t think of any more at the moment and it’s a good thing too. This could go on forever!
Part III
Filter:
All of them..lol
Part IV
What has gotten in the way of my being in alignment with my goals/dreams:
a. I feel like society sometimes wants to push me in a different direction, but since I know what I want and the reasons why I do, I can go against the wind.
b. The fear of not being perfect, but since I know that there is no such thing as perfection, I can strive for excellence.
c. Time/money/circumstance all play their role.
d. OCD (self diagnosed) can sometimes get in the way of my goals, especially “living” life, contrary to “analyzing” it.
Part V
Intentionality:
(numbers corresponding respectively to above numbers)
1. Make a goal to look my best everyday and save a certain amount of my paycheck for beauty
enhancements.
2. Hang around mature people and incorporate a more mature outlook on life. Find more role models.
3. Read books, take people’s advice into consideration, read and apply Dr. Lam’s blogs.
4. Commit to living, loving, and learning everyday.
5. Do 5 new vocabulary cards daily and make an effort to use them during the day.
6. Do more mingling.
8 & 9. Read relationship advice books for families.
11. Start by being an encouragement to my neighbor to help her lose weight this summer and help her achieve her goal by being a great accountability friend to her.
12. Work on respecting others.
13. Replace the idea of “perfect” with “excellence”.
15. Sign up to take dance lessons.
16. Practice taking pictures and movies of friends and family whenever there is opportunity to get good at this.
17. Focus on better applying devotions and incorporate more prayer time. Read relationship books, learn from others and own mistakes, read Dr. Phil books (jk..already read ‘em.).
Okay, I will probably die of humiliation for posting all of this…lol All dead honesty though…
Holy Cow!!!
Yes, we can all be cyber buddies!!
I have a cyber fitness buddy that I correspond with via email daily. We keep each other motivated to exercise daily and stay healthy. I know several people that have real life fitness buddies that they work out with and I know that it helps them be accountable and motivates them to work out.
Okay, Dr. Lam, I am going to keep you in check here. If you’d like, of course. I will frequently ask you if you did your yoga classes and massage therapies, okay. Consider getting a massage buddy! Once a month, my sisters and I switch turns massaging each other. One of my sister’s offers the benefit of psychotherapy with the session..lol I usually take her up on that one.
Okay, I better hear that you are doing something fun once a month on your weekend. You poor thing, you only have two days a month that you don’t have to think about work and even this is progressive. It’s a good thing you like what you do! No wonder you need all these massage sessions! Who wouldn’t?..lol
That is a really good idea to be less anchored to the keyboard. This is so preaching to me. I like your idea of limiting its usage. I need to do this. At least I don’t watch tv, so that’s a thumbs up.
Oh, the values that you picked, SO reflect you from your blogs and all. I can totally see that.
You would be so good at teaching. You are kind of like a teacher with these blogs and a really good one too.
That is really nice of you to want to mentor young people. You are quite the role model.
I really like that definition of intentionality! Assignments are so fun!
You are so fun!
Oh, Mysteryagain, where are you? Miss’n you lately.
hey heather,
thanks for opening your soul here. i think your words will lift up everyone who reads them, and i certainly appreciate them. it gives me more insight into you. you really took this assignment seriously, and your answers are really thoughtful. i love the “living, learning, and loving”. that’s great. that’s me too! thanks also for commenting on mine! yes, i have followed everything so far. need to get a massage this week. lol. i had a brazilian surgeon observing me last week and i took him to yoga to meet my goals that week. he was dying. i hope m/a does this too. but don’t worry so far we are two cyber buddies for now!
I guess it’s pretty apparent that I tend to get a little carried away with things…OCD…lol
This poor Brazilian surgeon was dying of exhaustion from keeping up with you all day? Now I am really getting concerned! lol
Oh, I just put you down as my role model for my new philosophy of, “living, loving, and learning”!!!
Aren’t you just so charming!!!!
i’m honored! thanks again for the great contributions!