What Does Being Intentional in Life Mean?

The fact that life is short, and we all operate on a finite amount of time is no great secret. The amount of time afforded within each day, week, month, etc. is one of the great equalizers amongst all people.

Despite this variable, how is it that there are those who seemingly accomplish so much more than their peers while still maintaining a high quality of work in whatever they involve themselves in?

While it would be impossible to try and narrow down a single trait that separates remarkable achievers from everyday individuals, there are a few traits that are certainly linked to uncommon success. Among these is the idea of living intentionally. People who go about their daily lives with a high level of intention behind their actions are simply more likely to enjoy a greater level of success.

Someone has probably told you at some point in your life that you should live intentionally. But what does this even mean? And why should you live an intentional life? Keep reading to find out.

In this article, we are going to outline three different aspects of what it means to be intentional in life.

What Is Living Intentionally?

Living intentionally is more of a mindset than a set of actions. It means that you are aware of everything you are doing, everything you are putting in your body, and everything that is going on around you and in your mind.

This level of awareness allows you to further apply your senses to enjoy everyday life rather than just drifting through it in a fog. Additionally, this level of awareness helps you deepen your connection with yourself, so you know exactly who you are, and you can come to realize all that you are capable of.

You live intentionally by doing the following:

· Letting go of things you cannot control

· Embracing the things, you can control in life

· Finding purpose in your life

· Taking care of your mental health

· Taking care of your physical health

· Aligning your beliefs with your actions

· Reflecting on who you are through meditation and journaling

Although it may sound like a lot, the reality is, doing all of the about things will make you feel lighter and happier than you felt before you began living with intention.

Finding Purpose Behind What You Do

The first and probably most important component of living an intentional life involves finding and maintaining a strong sense of purpose for why you do the things you do. In the perpetually repeating schedule of everyday life that a lot of people fall into, there can reach a point when everyday action or to-do item list throughout the day is completed simply out of habit rather than out of purpose.

Action without purpose causes tasks to be completed without the focus and motivation required to yield the best possible result. Given that we all operate on the aforementioned limited window of time, the quality with which you do things the first time around is a significant distinguishing factor in how much you will or will not achieve.

Valuing The Importance of Small Actions

The next aspect of what it means to live life intentionally has to do with recognizing the importance of the small actions you do every day. As we discussed above, it is easy to fall into a daily schedule that is repeated on autopilot without any significant degree of importance being placed on most of the day.

The primary reason behind why valuing smaller actions is so important has to do with the way these daily steps build upon another to eventually equate to long-term goals. By giving the necessary focus and effort when going about your daily life, you are only setting yourselves up for a better prognosis in the future.

At the same time, mindlessly completing a basic to-do list every day, unconcerned with the overall quality of each item checked off can just as easily pull you further away from long-term goals.

Recognizing and valuing just how important your daily actions are both on your short and long-term success is a big part of what it means to live intentionally. Being able to do so when others don’t increase your chances of accomplishing what others cannot.

Being Efficient with Time

The final aspect of living intentionally that we will discuss is the importance of being efficient with your time. Given that we’ve already described how being intentional requires giving each thing you do the appropriate amount of focus and attention to detail, having enough time to allocate to the right things is the only possible way to promote intention. What this means is that you must learn how to allocate and preserve your most precious resource, your time.

Learning to say no to people who will gladly sign you up for one thing after another, avoiding useless distractions on your phone or television and being able to prioritize your responsibilities in a way that allocates more of your time towards things that directly benefit you is a big part of living life intentionally.

What Does Living Intentionally Lead To?

If you live intentionally, you will build your emotional strength to the point you are able to withstand any negative event that comes your way. This will make you feel empowered, confident in yourself and your abilities, and able to challenge yourself to try new things.

Why Should You Live Intentionally?

Beyond just the emotional and mental benefits of living intentionally, those who live life with intent constantly find themselves achieving success beyond their wildest dreams.

When you live with intention you are able to make the choices that are best for you and keep you on the path to your goals. Nothing you come across will distract you because you will know exactly who you are and where you are headed.

Overall, living intentionally is all about living in the moment and being conscious of your actions, and the results they will bring your way. Even though living intentionally may seem like a lot of work up front, you will never regret living an intentional life as it will bring you to success in ways you never thought possible.