Ep. #20- Connor Emeny

My conversation with Connor has put my brain in overdrive thinking about what living an intentional life means, as he mentioned it several times throughout the episode. I’ve heard the concept of living an intentional life many times before, and i think it’s one of those concepts that I'd easily glance over when people spoke about it because I assumed I understood, and maybe a little scared i'd sound like an idiot if i asked what it really means. There’s much more than a surface level understanding to living intentionally thats worth diving into. 

 

I think living intentionally is like having a defence, or a security system that helps us make decisions on the way to our goals.

 

I’m sure most of us know what it feels like when "life happens" and what we intended to do doesn’t get done. I think this is the difference between being intentional and non-intentional. 

 

When we're non-intentional, our plans are “loose,” in our minds, they will “eventually get done” but they’re not necessarily urgent. We can easily be swept or carried away into some other task or plan. When we’re intentional, our plans are “hard” and getting done regardless of what comes our way. It’s as if when being non-intentional we're not necessarily aiming for anything, we’re just rolling with the punches. Yet being intentional, we’re focused, in the zone, committed. 

 

The difference between the two, the key to living intentionally vs. non-intentionally all comes down to preparation. When we prepare, we have reasons for what we do and don’t do. If something "pops up," we work around what we’ve already intended to do, rather than immediately switch tasks and lose a grip on our work out, or our plans with a friend. 

 

This isn’t to say that being intentional is easy, or even that i’ve mastered being intentional in my own life. I constantly struggle with “letting go” of being TOO intentional and saying no to plans with a good friend because I had intended to complete a task. 

 

This is where Values come into play. If in your value priorities, love and relationships is higher than business success, then these pop up plans will be an easy decision, you go. But you only go with no stress and no internal debate if you’ve intentionally thought about it and prepared for these situations when they pop up!