Welcome to Student of Intention

I learn about the power of living deliberately and share my findings with you.

Thank you for stopping by.

Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue on 12/15/2020.

Why I started Student of Intention

It’s September 6, 2020. After a meditation retreat in Idyllwild, California, I begin a practice I call The 5 Buckets. Each week, I name three intentions across five areas of life: relationships, creativity, health, learning and work. I complete as many as I can and reflect on my experience every Sunday.

The practice changes me. It fills a gap in my being that existed for a long time. I find more appreciation for people, responsibilities and opportunities. I am more thoughtful in my decisions; aware of my actions. I lose twelve pounds. I tell my wife, “I know this sounds crazy but I think I lost mental weight.” She laughs. I shrug.

I do more. A lot more. Writing, reading, creating and connecting. I crank out a rough draft of a manuscript in just a few weeks. I blitz through books by Jay Shetty, Steven Pressfield, Kamal Ravikant, James Altucher, Julia Cameron, Jack Mezirow and Angela Duckworth. I get in touch with old friends, send gifts to past co-workers and call my mom daily. I shift away from one business to make room for another. I invest in my life in a way I haven’t done before. Three realizations surface:

There is magic in the smallest moments

Keep going

Share my findings

Once I balance important areas of my life and deliberately invest in each, my big questions get answered. I answer them each time I write. Each time I wake up early and make myself tea. Each time I run beside the Pacific. Each time I read The Alchemist. Each time I put a website together or play the ukulele. Each time I put myself out there for a new friend. Each time… I stumble across my purpose.

I am fascinated by how much meaning and purpose I gain from my everyday actions. So much so, I transform at thirty-seven years of age.

I wanted to write a book my entire life. I remember outlining a novel called, The Carpenter, when I was in college. Back then, I framed houses to pay for tuition. Splitting my days between the job site and the classroom seemed like an interesting subject. It was a biographical fiction of sorts. I had the climactic ending all planned out.

Then I was going to write a guide for Ohio college grads to move to California. Like a handy manual for twenty-somethings looking to leave the Midwest.

I considered putting together a collection of my poetry. I have close to fifty poems hidden in my phone’s notepad.

When I turned thirty, I thought about writing a book on all the important crap I learned in my twenties. Like how to order Subway properly. Be a good roommate. And not to chase the night.

In thirty-seven years, I didn’t write any of those books.

I wrote the first draft of The 5 Buckets in only a few weeks.

Like many, I waited. Waited for the perfect time. Waited for the right idea. Waited to be ready.

I created The Student of Intention to hold me accountable to learning more.

To share my journey with you.

To help you learn from my mistakes, challenges and triumphs.

To help you resist waiting.

To help us all live with intention.

What to expect

You get a raw, weekly summary of my quest to live deliberately.

I am honest, vulnerable and informed (at least as much as a student can be).

I am going through a big shift and share everything.

I built sales teams for over a decade and only been a writer for a few months. Please be kind and patient.

I listen to your feedback and respond to comments and questions. I consider this a partnership and value your input.

Much of my focus is on areas of The 5 Buckets but broadens as I dig deeper into the power of intention.

I share books, pods and people keeping me going. You get original poems and maybe an inspiring video message or two.

Finally, you get early updates on my book, access to events, contests, giveaways and merch. I promise to produce high-quality stuff… stuff with intention :)

I leave you with the video message below as a formal thank you for coming this far.

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