The Simple Mind is a newsletter to help you reduce overthinking and boost self-confidence.

I get my coffee every morning from a cool spot in my town.

This morning, this new guy, probably on a summer job takes my order.

“Black americano and a glass of water, coming right up!”, and indeed it does. A minute later, I have my coffee and glass of water and somehow feel special and more content.

There’s nothing much different from the other mornings. The girl who usually waits on my table, also on a summer job, gets me an americano each morning, she may forget the glass of water from time to time, but she smiles and is kind.

So I wondered, what set them apart? What made me feel more content whilst getting this coffee?

Intention.

Oh, it’s so subtle, but I am sure you’ve experienced this before.

I can’t explain how, but I could feel this guy was doing his work with the intention of a good service. The girl does a great job but seems to be doing it with the intention of getting the heck out of here, which I don’t blame her for.

It got me thinking about my job.

About how sometimes, especially when I am doing tasks I don’t necessarily enjoy (hello business development) I gotta adjust my energy. From “ick, I can’t wait to get this over with” to being intentional, “Let me do a great job”.

This week let’s talk about intentions!

Orianne

Reading time: 4 min.

Intention: a mental state that involves a decision and commitment to do something with a clear purpose.

Attention: cognitive process of focusing selectively on specific information or tasks while ignoring other stimuli. Influences behavior.

Your attention goes where your intention is.

How intention can make your life better

Let’s call the girl Lea, and the guy Paul. Who do you think has the best shift?

Lea
Intention: get out of here as fast as one can.
Attention: mind is scattered, looking forward to the future, focusing on time, not the action
Results: time expands, mistakes happen

Paul
Intention: do the best job I can
Attention: focus on doing every action the best way possible
Results: time pass by faster, customers feel cared for (more tips)

Being intentional means you’re in control

With no or little intention, we get into this random, floating feeling. It’s uncomfortable because we don’t feel in control.

Best example of it is a corporate meeting with no agenda. We’ve all had that meeting, where a bunch of people are put around a table, with no clear purpose, everyone tries to make sense of it but no one is aligned. People leave the meeting unsure of what just happened, frustrated to have their time wasted, and likely more confused about the next steps.

This is how not being intentional feels like to your brain. We’re here but not here, we’re doing something with no clear purpose. Fuzzy, floating, uncomfortable.

You can be intentional to do something you’d rather not do. It comes down to making the decision and sticking to it.

Intention gamifies life

Being intentional is a game.

You choose your level: are you being intentional on a big thing (like your life direction), a medium thing (playing with your kid), a small thing (like doing the dishes)?

You pick the game: are you doing the dishes faster than yesterday, with the least water, etc?

Then you pour your attention into it. You know how people get sucked into fun playing video games? How about you impulse this in your life?

When you pay attention to what you do, you only have to do it once, you get in a flow state where time goes by faster, and you feel more rewarded. Cause you did a good job and you had fun along the way.

Intention is magnetic

It’s a subtle shift in your energy, but it’s noticeable to everyone around you.

Intention brings a calm, collected, focused energy, which makes you magnetic.

We are attracted by the things we want for ourselves. Intentional individuals seem confident, they are content in each situation since they are fully present, they make it seem effortless and fun, just like a game.

In times of crisis, they have a clear mind. They remain in control, focus on the intention (at company level, at their level), and with this clarity, they can focus their attention on the right thing.

One question for you

What’s one area where you are not being intentional?

Think about a task or moment where you do something, without wanting to do it, where you do it for the sake of it, or where you do multiple things at once.

Do you go to the gym and do a half workout? Do you listen to your employees whilst thinking about the email you need to send? etc.

One nudge for you

In that one area, be more intentional.

1. Before doing the thing, clarify your intention.
   If you want to be more intentional at the gym, before every workout clarify your intention, are you growing muscle, getting your mind off work, or staying fit?

2. Take action and watch for your mind's automation.
   Are you slowing down on the treadmill, are you starting to think you could cut the workout in half?

3. Remind yourself of the intention, and push through

4. Enjoy the reward
    Notice how much proud of yourself your are for following through, the clarity it brings, and the sense of control you get.

As always, start small. It will nurture contentment, pride, and full presence, which will help you bring more and more intention to bigger areas of your life.

If this is your first time reading The Simple Mind, welcome! I’m Orianne, I share weekly tools to help you reduce overthinking and boost your self-confidence.

A bit more about me: I am a mindset coach. I coach brilliant humans who perform very well but want to improve their relationship with themselves (their minds). I am a chocolate addict, live by the beach, and always read several books simultaneously (currently Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, La traversée des temps volume 4 which only exists in French. It’s a fiction that revisits the story of humanity. The second book is Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erickson).

If you enjoyed this newsletter, read the previous editions and subscribe here. If you’re ready for coaching you can book an intro call.