Setting Intention

“One great lesson we learn when we mess up is how to set intention.” In this Forbes article, Liz Ryan highlights this as one of the great take-a-ways from a big failure. Ryan notes that after making a mistake, creative leaders have the opportunity to set intention. I believe we have this opportunity as we venture into any task.

Each morning during the Creative Community House, a cornerstone component to the Creative Community Fellows program, we begin the day by setting intention together. Each day has a theme, a theme that the day’s content will explore. This theme establishes that content and acts as a support system to guide ones thinking on these topics throughout the day, week and long after the program. The purpose of these intention setting moments is personal. The question is an internal dialogue. How might you open up to this topic today? What do you want to get out of it? What do you need? How will you make sure you receive it? It is a moment to pause and create clarity around what you will accomplish.

Ryan makes this reflection:

“Setting intention is personal. It doesn’t rely on policies or systems. It’s a personal commitment to yourself and anybody who relies on you.”

I find personal value in these internal, reflective moments and I believe they can be used both before we embark on an unknown and after we fail, whenever that may be.

Despite the value I receive when I take the time to host and embrace these moments, often I neglect to make the time. It can be difficult to hold yourself accountable to this commitment alongside the deadlines, announcements and emails. But, I (and we!) can’t let the tagline “I’m too busy” rule every aspect of our lives.

How do you set intention in your daily work? How do you ensure that you create the time for this?