One of my strengths in my life is to have good intentions. It is easy for me to want to do good things in and through my life. I have good intentions to exercise more, to read more, to do yard work, and to volunteer more in the community. When I think of a good intention, I get excited about the possibility and even more excited about the result of completing that good intention. Sometimes I get so focused on how great it will be when my good intention is achieved that I forget to do one thing; start accomplishing the good intention.
I believe that in our culture we all have a myriad of good intentions. We want to make a difference. Even now, as 100,000s of students begin summer break, there are 100,000s of good intentions that are being thought about, dreamt of, and poised to be executed. But, if history is any indicator of the future, in about 3 months the majority of students will go back to school with the good intentions still sitting in the what if stage.
Here is the problem with good intentions:
- They deceptively meet a need in us to feel like we matter and that we can change our lives
- They take energy and focus to dream and plan for before any action happens
- The result is usually bigger than what we can accomplish in one hour, one day, one week
- They take a lot of work to accomplish
- They irritate an enemy that does not want you to accomplish them and he will do whatever he can to distract, discourage, and disappoint you
- When we don’t accomplish our good intentions we can feel like we are failing or get into a pattern of being ok with not pursuing our dreams or passions.
The problems or pitfalls of good intentions can lead us to off ramps of frustration, futility, and lack of purpose. I believe we can take back the power and hope of good intentions. I believe that the student generation can lead the other generations in making this step by how they maximize the summer.
Steps to Moving Good Intentions to Great Successes
- Forgive yourself for past failures in achieving good intentions – start with a clean slate
- State your good intention – ask God for what He wants for you, write it down, share it with people
- Make a plan to complete the good intention – S.M.A.R.T goals (google it)
- Invite people to help and/or cheer you on during the process
- Find ways to stretch yourself – whether that be physically, emotionally, or relationally – stretching yourself will give you an opportunity to become more committed to the goal.
- Celebrate when you accomplish the good intention – find ways not only to celebrate the achievement but also to remember it. One success will make the next success easier to achieve. Build momentum in completing good intentions.
Proverbs 14:23 “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty”
I have seen where good intentions have become just talk and I have witnessed people stumble into emotional, relational, and hope poverty because they felt like failures. I believe that at the core of achieving good intentions is the commitment to hard work. I believe that our past unmet good intentions do not have to dictate our future potential. I believe that this generation has the potential to restore the power of good intentions.