I use to be indecisive…but now I just don’t know!

If only my successes depended upon my intentions – my plans, thoughts and dreams and not my actions. Life would be so sweet! Does that sound like anyone you may know?

If we all are honest, this reflects each of us……..to some degree or another.

What we intend to do and actually accomplish can be two totally different things.

This year in which area have you said to yourself, “I intend to _____________.” Fill in the gap. Maybe you’ve said this to someone else. The question becomes: have you completed that task, are you still working towards it, or have you abandoned your well-intended plans and dreams completely?

I come across so many people who long to be intentional toward fulfilling their own desires, dreams and commitments. As a great proverb reminds us….Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

There is great excitement at the start of a journey, dream or commitment. However, there is also something very special when we achieve our dream and commitment.

How does one change from great planning and dreaming to being a person who fulfils his or her intentions? (Tweet This or Share on Facebook). 

Here are 3 points that I have found to be very helpful.

  1. The first plan of action is to ruthlessly stop being indecisive. Being indecisive is actually a decision we make. It is not a condition nor is it in our DNA. It is a decision often made because we want to stay in our comfort zone. We ‘Mask’ it very well, in various ways. At the start of this year I intended to become a ‘Morning Person’ you can read how I achieved this by clicking here……In this I share 7 key areas which helped me.

Winston Churchill was a man of vision, but also one of action – he once said “I never worry about action only inaction.”

Inaction leads to being indecisive which ultimately robs us from the joy of completing tasks and finishing well. There is great joy just waiting to greet us at those finish lines we intend to pursue.

 2.  Commit yourself to being intentional. Being intentional is committing yourself to your plan and taking active steps to fulfill it.

For example I remember 29 years ago saying to my bride, “I Will.” I was taking an active step in my life to be intentional in my love for her by committing myself in marriage. You may notice I used a word called ‘Committing.’ This word goes way beyond public confession and intention. I am all for speaking things out and declaring the truth; however there must come a time where the ‘fruit of our intentions’ are clearly visible to all.

  3.  Don’t be fooled in thinking that ‘Intending’ is the same as ‘being intentional.’ (Tweet This or Share on Facebook). Too often I have seen how easy it is to say the right words of intention rather than living an intentional life…..in other words, it is easier to talk the talk than walk the walk.  We may ‘think’ we are making progress when actually we are standing still.

If I just ‘intended’ to love my wife after I said ‘I do’ but then never backed it up by intentionally loving her, I would simply not be true to myself or her in my words.

Living an intentional (focused) life takes grit. We can be great starters but poor at finishing well. Having good mentors/coaches around us will help us gain clarity and keep us accountable.

Enjoy the journey, even when things get tough. Celebrate the little wins along the way. Build upon your successes. Recall them, speak them out. Focus on the wins, not just the losses!

Remember this: a fulfilled life will always start by an act of being intentional. Being intentional does not happen randomly. When we get focused on fulfilling our intentions, we will find that our energy will accompany us.