Young males have been getting diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) a lot over the past few decades. It is hugely over-diagnosed, very profitable for the drug companies, and likely mostly due to our sedentary lifestyle, toxic foods, and stressful environments. Everyone has heard of it, most are familiar with it, and too many have dealt with it directly or indirectly.
Something that is much more common, much more real, and way more life altering is Intention Deficit Disorder. I heard someone refer to this last week and thought it was priceless. Of course, it’s not a true, diagnosed condition recognized by the medical establishment, but maybe it should be. After all, a life lived without intention is a life not well-lived.
It has been said that when you give, you will get. There’s an African proverb that says… What you give, you get, ten times over. There’s a Corinthians verse that says… Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. And another verse from Luke that says… Give, and it will be given to you.
I believe all of that to be true. I also believe that many people believe it, but miss a very important component that isn’t outright expressed in those messages… the intention. You have to give for the sake of giving. If you give to get, you won’t get.
Intention is a very powerful multiplier in the success of your life. Your why has to be big. Your why has to be significant. And your why has to be powerful. People are often caught up in the how. They have a great idea, want something done, or seek significance, and get stifled because they can’t figure out how to do it. The truth is that if you have a big enough why, you’ll figure out the how.
Would you agree that someone who paints, sculpts, or draws because they have a need to express something within themselves and want to share their gift with the world will create much greater, more meaningful, and life impacting art than someone who paints, sculpts, or draws to make money? Of course. The inspiration comes from the intention. And that intention oozes from the art. I believe a lot of what we see and hear that really moves us does so because of the intention behind it.
And it’s not just art. Business deals, professional interactions, friendships, start-ups, and good lives are often built on an invisible foundation that is intention. Of course, it’s not fool-proof, but the quality of the intention will often dictate the quality of these transactions.
What we do in life matters, but why we do it matters more. We tend to get what we give. Too often, we don’t give enough attention to our intention. And this Intention Deficit Disorder can sabotage any area of our lives. We can try harder, work longer, and go faster, but having the wrong why, or a why that isn’t strong enough, can be just the thing that holds us back. It can also make what appears to be huge success leave us feeling frustrated and empty.
If Intention Deficit Disorder were a true medical condition, doctors would surely try to treat it with medication. Not only would those meds fail to fix the problem, they would cause a whole slew of negative side effects. The solution is merely paying attention to your intentions. Getting a bigger why, a why that excites and drives you, is the cure. And there will be side effects, but those will only be positive ones. There is no need to suffer with Intention Deficit Disorder. Make sure you have a why… then make sure your why is huge.
