The Magic of Living with Intention

This week, I give away something BIG, share a podcast misstep and choose opportunity over fear.

I won’t lead every Student of Intention with poetry. But like last time, it feels right.

I title this poem, The Magic. It ignited my motivation to practice The 5 Buckets, then write the book and start this community.

Around 5 am on a Saturday in March, I woke up with a thought I couldn’t shake. A thought about the power of commitment. How commitment enhances people, ideas and relationships. It adds strength, confidence and resilience. Commitment yields magic.

What started off as nothing more than a curious recognition developed into six stanzas. I include listening, forgiveness and dedication as other sources of magic. Then the poem ends with:

Magic comes most easily with one simple action

Turns out love is magic’s greatest attraction

So pour love out for the world to soak up

You’ll have magic to fill even the deepest of cups

As we head into 2021, can you think of a more appropriate message?

The Rundown

I ask that you read every word of this email with thought and care. But also know you’re human. So here’s a quick summary if you want to skip ahead, come back, ignore, etc:

If you’re new to SOI

What is living with intention?

Resist resolutions

Fear VS Opportunity

Belated Christmas Gift (BIG Reader Giveaway!)

For next time (possibly)

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If you’re new to Student of Intention

Hello and welcome! If you want to read any previous posts, you can visit The Archive. There you’ll find a post detailing reasons for starting this email and what to expect. I also include an About section with additional insight. When they call to you, give ‘em a read.

Dig what you’re seeing already and want to pour some love out for the world to soak up?

You and I are building a community together. I consider us partners and appreciate your efforts.

There are plenty of places to leave me feedback. Do not be shy in giving it.

Questions, comments and complaints welcome.

Now - let’s go!

What is living with intention?

Props to my good friend, John Reed, for helping tease an answer out of me.

I define it as enjoying the pursuit of purpose.

Keep that word enjoy in mind.

I break down the pursuit of purpose into three parts: Action, Discovery and Alignment.

Action is showing up to the party. Getting out of bed, off the couch and into the world.

Hole to dig? Grab a shovel.

Mountain to climb? Reach for a rock.

Book to write? Put pen to paper.

Action is doing what needs done.

Readying our minds, body and relationships.

When we stumble onto our purpose, we show up ready to fulfill it.

The 5 Buckets help spur action. Action to practice living with intention. A practice in improving our creativity, health, learning… when open to it, download the Intention Guide and get moving.

Don’t wait. Start small. Learn as you go.

Discovery comes next. Our deliberate actions lead to awareness. We begin to better understand where we want to go, who we want to be and what we want to create.

Our Calling calls. And screams louder the more we act.

Then Alignment. As we continue steering our actions toward our purpose, The Universe understands how to assist our pursuit. Our actions and The Universe align.

Resources and opportunities surface. Helpful relationships make themselves available.

Forces join our cause.

Steven Pressfield explains in The Artist’s Journey:

It operates in real time and in the real world. It is connected to forces unconstrained by time and space, by reason or by nature’s laws. It is capable of summoning allies and assistance and of concentrating them on your behalf and in your cause. These forces are not only of the imagination - ideas, insights, wisdom, breakthroughs in your life and work - but also practical and material apparitions like friends and allies, connections, places to stay, money.

Remember that word, enjoy?

It is the glue holding this process together.

When we enjoy the pursuit, we find motivation to keep going.

We find time.

We find energy.

We find magic.

Have the gratitude to experience life and it all shows up in abundance.

Enjoying the pursuit of purpose

Resist resolutions

Last week, The OG Day1s invited me onto their podcast to discuss The 5 Buckets and how living with intention applies to 2021 resolutions (it drops 1/30 FWIW).

One host, Kendrick, asked me about his resolution. He wants to be less beholden to money.

I fudged up. The question caught me off guard. I was uncomfortable giving him advice on such a challenging subject. I don’t totally remember what I said. Something about using The 5 Buckets.

Instead, I should’ve asked him, “What does it look like for you to be less beholden to money?”

Better yet, “What does it look like for you to enjoy the pursuit of being less beholden to money?”

As the calendar turns, think about your own resolutions. Think about how I define living with intention above. Think about enjoying the pursuit of purpose.

Want to lose weight? What would enjoying the pursuit of better health look like?

Consider the satisfaction of picking out your own fruit to start your morning. Slicing fresh, organic mango and banana then serving yourself. Your time. Your treat.

Or preparing a one-of-a-kind salad for lunch. Chopping crisp romaine and spinach. Dicing onion, green peppers and tomatoes. Adding a vegetable you’ve never tried before. Then whipping up a fresh dressing with olive oil and lemon juice.

How about exploring your neighborhood on foot? Enjoying the pace of a long walk or the deep breaths of a jog. Hand dancing to your playlist as cars go by.

I am not sure there is a better feeling than matching physical activity with the rhythm of a favorite track.

What do you think?

Can you see yourself indulging in the moments mentioned above? Being grateful for the experience instead of dwelling on the outcome?

If not those, what moments then?

How can you be grateful for the pursuit of better health? The pursuit of a new job? A relationship? Learning something new?

Resist focusing on 2021 resolutions. Instead, figure out how you might be grateful for your pursuit of purpose.

Fear VS Opportunity

Earlier this month, Chris Decker invited me to join his podcast. It’s called Age of Authenticity. During the recording, he asked me a tough question:

Do you have any examples of when the truth was hard… but it was necessary?

I have several examples. The first that came to mind is how often I lean toward what is safe over what is possible. How I choose fear over opportunity. Recognizing this truth in myself is hard. But it is necessary.

In 2019, I started Finley Track offering sales strategy to early stage, SaaS companies. It’s been a solid business. I’m grateful for it. And it is a safe, entrepreneurial path.

I’ve led sales teams for over a decade. Wrangling a few clients then installing a sales model, training program and capable team comes easily. I’ve done it plenty of times. It’s familiar.

As wonderful a business as it is, I choose it because it is safe. At least safer than writing a book. Building a community. Safer than leaning into my creative pursuits.

I confront this truth with every edition of Student of Intention.

I confront it with each revision of The 5 Buckets.

I confront it through writing, social posts and joining Chris’ podcast.

You choose fear sometimes, too.

Let’s choose opportunity together.

Deal?

Belated Christmas Gift (BIG Reader Giveaway!)

Now for the real good stuff.

As I mentioned last week, I am giving away a BIG gift to one lucky reader.

It’s a gift of health. A gift of ritual. And a gift of creativity.

Drumroll please…

It’s a juicer! An epic, Breville juicer to be specific. My Amazon account shows I’ve purchased half a dozen of these beauties. This makes number 7 and is sure to be a badass partner for one of you in 2021.

Before I share further giveaway details, I’ll shed a little light on why I am so enthusiastic.

Tracy and I started drinking celery juice every day about two years ago. I am not kidding. Every day. We purchase fourteen stalks (bunches) of celery each week. That yields a stalk per day per person if you’re counting at home.

And the results?

I no longer suffer from acid reflux. Something I’ve dealt with since I was 15.

My heartburn would get so bad, I’d almost faint. Even in high school!

But celery juice has fixed all that.

Now I sport a world-class digestive system (Was that an organ brag? Yep.)

There are a ton of other benefits if you feel like reading up on it.

Before. After. Great Morning.

And the juicer? I’ll deliver one to your door next week. All you need to do is share a story of you living with intention.

Have you used The Intention Guide? Send over a story.

Have you named and completed an intention or two? Send over a story.

Are you planning to lean into opportunity instead of fear in 2021? Send over a story!

You can reply, send a text or DM me on social.

My cell is 310.991.6282. Here’s a link to my Instagram.

I’ll choose one winner for the juicer. Maybe share your story if you give me the go ahead. And if you don’t get a juicer, I promise to send a thank you note in the mail. I just printed Student of Intention cards I’m dying to deploy.

For next time (possibly):

Intentional relationships yield intentional self

1:1 messages

Morning pages

Until then,

Don’t wait. Start small. Learn as you go.