Do It With Intention

We've all heard the phrase:

Whatever you do, do it well.

It's a famous quote from Walt Disney, but it actually has more to it.

Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.

Sorry Walt, these are platitudes — do so well that everybody likes it? It's fine as motivational fodder, but it's one dimensional. Instead, I like to think about work, life, play in the same way:

Whatever you do, do it with intention.

Do you like sports?

For me, it's golf. After college, my days of heavy practice and focus turned into recreation. Without the competitive streak, I ended up spending time on the course or the driving range without much direction. Sure, it passed the time and it's always fun to play with friends, but the most exciting part was getting better scores on the course. Why? Because as humans we crave satisfaction — and in sports that looks like improvement.

Although I still consider golf a recreational sport today, I play with intention:

Going to the range? Go through all the motions — warm up, take practice shots, play target practice, pick a shot shape (i.e. fades, draws, riser) and work on it, cool down, take notes.

By the end of weeks or months of range practice, you'll have an arsenal of practiced shots you can put into play on the course and enjoy the benefits of better scores.

Do you want to eat home cooking more?

Rinse and repeat.

Do you want to improve your performance at work, grow your business, get a promotion?

Rinse and repeat.

Your intention is driven by your purpose and desires. The best way to get started is to think about what you want, create a plan, write it down, and start.