It took several careers, life events, and significant change before I realized how intentionality is the key that unlocks our potential to live the life we want to live. Too philosophical? Normally, I'd tend to agree - but let me break this down.
I spent close to 8 years of my professional career in the financial services space in a capacity that guided C-Level executives and wealthy individuals to act on sound decisions to improve their or their company's existing financial position. In less words - successful people came to me/my team seeking financial advice. We would examine where they were financially, how they got there in the first place, and what path they could take moving forward that would get them into a better position.
We would run our diligence, present a solution, and walk thru how we got there with our clients. They would nod, agree, get excited, and be totally onboard until it came time to actually take concrete action. Then crickets. The more and more this happened, I thought what the hell? We're literally serving their solution to them on a silver platter, but they aren't taking it. WHY? It certainly was not for a lack of "sales" skills or effective communication on our end. As the pattern continued, I realized there was some sort of gap in the client's decision making process between understanding the need and taking the action.
So, like any other "fixer" in the world, I began my unprofessional psycho-analysis on why this was happening. Then I found the answer. There was a lack of application, a lack of WHY. Understanding how this solution would help the client wasn't enough - they needed to understand why it was so important. And that's something only they could articulate. We began asking the following two questions to our clients and the whole game changed:
Why is improving XYZ so important to you/your company?
What is at risk for you/your company if this doesn't get handled or resolved?
Notice that we aren't stopping at the why. We are encouraging them to have foresight into what is at stake if meaningful action does not take place.
As a relatively introspective person myself, I began thinking about what would happen if I employed the same concept in my personal life; perhaps with my goals. Sure, I was great at setting them, but I never really spent time thinking about what was at risk if I didn't meet them. Understanding that alone, drives motivation and action. I started "practicing what I preached" in my own life and things changed drastically. I discovered the key to successful change - act with intention. APA's Dictionary of Psychology defines intentionality as:
n. a characteristic of an individual’s acts that requires the individual (a) to have goals, desires, and standards; (b) to select behaviors that are in the service of attaining the goal (e.g., means to an end); and (c) to call into conscious awareness a desired future state. Investigators differ as to whether (a) alone, (a) and (b) but not (c), or (a), (b), and (c) are required for intentionality to be attributable to an individual.
In my own words - intentionality requires an (1) awareness of the present, (2) definition of a desired outcome, and (3) selection of actions that are designed to get you there. This concept can be applied in every aspect of our lives - money, health, wellness, structure, etc. It has the power to change the course we're on in a meaningful way.
So what is Savvy Guides all about? Intentionality.
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