How To Be Intentional
At the beginning of almost every year I look around, I listen and determine what word, phrase, or idea is calling out to me. This year the word “Intentional” has been screaming everywhere I look or listen.
So, now I’ve been thinking about that word and trying to best decide, How do I become intentional. To do that I felt it best to really know what the word meant.
According to Merriam-Webster, Intentional means
: done by intention or design : INTENDED
How can I apply being intentional to my daily life, and or business.
In my business being intentional may be looking at my branding, is it obvious who I am and what I offer. Are the layout of my pages thought out and each of the elements intentional, does it look like it belongs there and does it serve a purpose.
Most importantly am I being intentional in expressing to my customers and potential customers how I can help them. What I have to offer and how they can get it?
Does everything I’m doing have a definite purpose as to why they are there. Many times we throw stuff together without much thought as to why it’s there.
Think about these things when laying out your web page / web site.
- Does my brand message say exactly what I have to offer?.
- Does my message matter to my target market?
- Is there a definite action of what I want my visitor to take?
- Have I thought out a well designed follow up plan for that action?
These are just a few things to consider but can you see how being intentional in each of these steps makes a difference? You could break it down even further. Think of each step listed above.
I won’t go over each step here but if we just look at the first item. Think about your brand message.It is more than just your logo, your tagline, but what you stand for and offer. In your brand are you using set colors? Do you use these colors throughout all of your marketing? Is your tag line only on your website or do you use it in your social media accounts? As you think through each of these items be intentional and definite as you put these in place. Just by going through the step of being intentional in your business you should see improvements moving forward.
The same is true about being intentional in our personal lives. Many people set New Years resolutions. Think about why so many of them fail. They’re not being Intentional in making it happen. To make a difference or a serious change in your life it MUST be done by design or done intentionally.
To get a better quality of life you must first decide what it is you want to change put a plan in place and follow that plan. It just doesn’t happen because you thought about it. Anything worth doing is worth doing right and to do it right it must be thought out, designed, and followed through upon.
One goal I’ve already put in place is to read more books this year. Not only is it a good source of learning but it helps expand your thought process and brain activity. So I’m being intentional to read more often, instead of playing a game on my phone I open my kindle app and read at least a chapter first. Sometimes more than that because I’ve gotten into the story. Or even better yet. I’ve set a book on my desk and another on my nightstand. I’ll take a pause and read some during a break or before bed. And yes it’s not uncommon for me to be reading multiple books at once.
Good luck on whatever your focus will be for this year and I hope you decide to join my and start doing a few more things Intentionally.
