Living Intentionally
Something that has been on my mind recently is the power of being intentional. This means much more than just doing something you meant to do—it starts with your mind. Early this week, the Restless Souls Instagram account posted a quote from Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (a book that I emphatically suggest you read). The quote said, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” For those like myself who don’t believe in destiny, you can replace that word with “a life of full potential.” What Covey perfectly summarizes here is that the journey to anything you want to do or be in this life begins with your mind. When we are intentional with our thoughts, we take better control of our minds. As Tony Robbins stated, “The mind is a powerful tool; but the key is to use it, not let it use us.” We’re all victims of just following our minds throughout the day. We zone out, we go down our own rabbit holes, and we get sidetracked. When we want to really be productive, we lock in our thoughts and begin thinking intentionally. Daniel Kahneman emphasized this difference in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow. We use our fast-thinking brain like an autopilot, answering questions that don’t require complex thinking. We use our slow-thinking brain to think critically and solve problems that only a human brain can. Of course, we cannot spend every moment of the day thinking with our slow brain or being intentional about every single thought. But almost all of us could increase our current share of slow thinking.
Why is intentional thinking important? When it comes to reaching for any goal, wanting any outcome, or pursuing any cause, your physical body is the vehicle that gets you there. But your mind is the driver. Have you ever been on your way home from work and realized you traveled miles without noticing? You’ve just coasted on mental autopilot for minutes. If your brain drives your body in this fashion, you’ll coast through life like it’s another drive on the highway. It’ll get the job done but forego any greatness that you had the potential for. In the podcast “Intentional Thoughts” by the School of Self-Image, Tonya Leigh dives into this a little more. “I know in theory, we all understand that our thinking is important. Our thinking is creating our entire lives. But how much time do you think about what you think about? And how much time do you spend thinking on purpose, thinking intentionally?” Tonya goes on to say, “Because let me tell you all, I used to take a lot of action. I was an action girl. I still am. I love taking action. I believe it’s an important part of the puzzle. But a lot of times, I was taking action, but I was working against myself. Why? Because I was thinking in opposition to the result that I wanted. I remember going on diets and working out and trying really hard. But my thoughts were not aligned with the result. I was thinking how hard it was. I was thinking how it was taking too long. I was thinking about how I was always going to struggle with this problem. And eventually, the thoughts took over the actions.”
Experts have found that thinking intentionally provides benefits such as:
Clarity and Focus
Improved Decision-Making
Increased Self-Awareness
Better Problem-Solving
Enhanced Productivity
Emotional Regulation
Resilience and Adaptability
Living with Purpose
Mindful Living
Empathy and Understanding
Out of these benefits, I think it’s important to highlight “enhanced productivity” and “living with purpose.” Your life is a drop in the ocean in the timespan of the universe. And while it may feel like we have forever, our time is finite and demands that we use it productively and with purpose. As Restless Souls, we are all seeking growth in a plethora of ways, and thinking intentionally will only aid us in our pursuits. I’ve discussed a few books in this post, but this last one is one of my favorite books ever. I truly hope you will give it a chance when you make the time. 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman discusses the importance of recognizing the limited time you have on Earth and how we are very good at wasting that finite resource. I’ll end with my favorite quotes from the book in hopes of enticing you into picking it up.
"The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short."
"Productivity is a trap. Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed, and trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster."
"The real problem isn’t our limited time. The real problem—or so I hope to persuade you—is that we don’t treat our time as truly finite."
"Once you grasp that you probably won’t have time for everything you want to do in your career, or in your relationships, or as a parent, you can start to focus on what counts."
"The more you try to manage your time with the goal of achieving a feeling of total control and freedom from limitations, the more stressful, empty, and frustrating life gets."
"Meaningful productivity, by contrast, begins with the realization that it’s impossible to make time for everything."
"To live a meaningful life is to use time in ways that bring you joy and fulfillment, even if those ways are sometimes at odds with the culture around you."
I advocate for intentional thinking and intentional action with the strongest of passions. Through living intentionally, we can make ourselves, our community, and the world better.
Stay Restless,
Jordan
