In the last few articles I've introduced the concept of following the road less travelled. I've already discussed using our emotions as our guide as to whether we are living our lives by default or on purpose. I also discussed the importance of meaning and how having a deeper meaning to what we are pursuing in our lives brings true fulfilment.
In order to live lives of meaning and fulfilment we need to set the intention to do so. Intention is one of the most powerful forces at our disposal. The quality of your life proceeds out of your intention for it. However, very few people ever set an intention for their lives which is why most people live their lives by default.
This is why the majority of people live unfulfilled lives. It is so easy to live a life by default because we become so distracted by the superficial things in life and use these as an excuse to not ask the difficult questions. What are my highest values and am I living in congruence with them? Why am I here on this planet at this time in history? How am I not living up to my highest potential?
In order to even attempt to answer these questions you have to set an intention to dive fully into the depths of your being to discover the truth about yourself. This involves confronting your fears, your doubts and your shadows. It is these aspects of yourself that keep you locked in your current situation and prevent you from stepping outside your comfort zone to uncover your true potential. It is intention which allows you move beyond fear and doubt and experience what you once may have
thought is not possible.
Intention is what sets the tone for what direction your life will take, which is why it is so important. Intentions don't equate to goals but are the source out of which goals emerge. For example, you may set the intention to become financially free but, in order to get there, you may have to set certain goals such as saving 10% of your income, learning how to invest, starting a business venture, obtaining more leads for your business and learning how to convert those leads.
Intention, therefore, has the power to facilitate incredible change in whatever area of your life it touches. In order to unleash the power of intention I encourage people to keep a personal journal where they can truly explore what they desire from their life. These are the questions that you should answer to get more clarity about your current life situation.
Am I where I want to be in my life?
If I'm not where I want to be then why is this the case?
What are the smallest steps I can take to start moving towards where I want to be?
What is keeping me from taking these steps right now?
How can I overcome whatever obstacles are keeping from taking these smallest steps?
If you journal on the above questions and take action on them, your intentions will become manifest in reality and put you in the minority of those who journey the road less travelled.This is the path of inspiration which is how we should be living every day of our lives.
It is intention which leads to inspiration, which is why I encourage you now to start pondering the above questions and see where your answers take you. You may soon find yourself stepping off the beaten path and exploring unknown territory. You will then understand what the famous poet Robert Frost meant when he said, 'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.'
Nauman Naeem MD
