“Three types of people exist: those who make things happen; those who watch happens and those who wonder, “What happened?” Rolayo Akhigbe
Do you live life purposefully and intentionally, or do you just accept whatever comes your way? Success in any area of life is by design, not by accident. Life must be lived intentionally to be successful. There’s a saying that goes, “if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will lead you there”.
There are 6 things you should always be intentional about:
- Your Beliefs and Values – Picture a boat without an anchor on the sea – it will drift wherever the wind carries it. You must be grounded in what you believe in. Don’t be swayed by what others say or by what you see happen around you. Living a life of purpose starts with what you believe and what values you hold dear. Let your beliefs and your values guide you in decision-making. Be rooted in them
- Purpose – Why are you here? What is it you are uniquely equipped to do? The main reason people wander or get in a rut is because they don’t know what they’re designed for. What are your skills, the things that bring you fulfilment? If you don’t know, take some time out for introspection – a great place to start is by engaging your maker, after all He designed you for a specific purpose. One thing I can assure you is that your purpose is linked to impacting others and making lives better. the question is how YOU will do this. What would your 2019 look like if you focused on understanding your purpose?
- Setting Priorities – Guard your time jealously, don’t let just anything take up your day. Set goals and prioritize them because this will help keep you on track. Whether they are short-term or long-term, be conscious of what is important to you. Stay focused on your set goals, no matter how long it takes to achieve them.
- Being Committed – Commitment is sticking to something long after the excitement has gone. Yes, it helps to be passionate about something, but long after the emotions may have subsided, commitment is what keeps you staying the course. You can’t be intentional without being committed because there will be some days you just don’t feel like doing what you’ve set out to do. But you must do it anyway.
- Achieving Balance – Living on purpose means achieving balance in life but understand that the balance won’t always be 50-50. There will be periods when you have to give more attention to one area than other (starting a new job, raising a young family, etc.) and so you have to consciously make sure the other areas don’t suffer, even if they aren’t getting equal attention. So, if for instance you’ve been working late all week, be intentional about disconnecting from work over the weekend and spend the time recharging either by yourself or with friends/family. This balance is necessary to avoid burnout.
- Being deliberate about gratitude – Be thankful for every day and live in the moment. Don’t let your emotions rule you, or your circumstances to determine how you feel about something. Every day count 10 new things you’re grateful for. Have a positive attitude and let that attitude carry you through thick and thin, because you know that your end is success and peace.
Living an intentional life is better than living each day as it comes. Make the decision to be intentional today, and see how your life transforms, leading to a more productive and happier you.
