The Power of Intentional Thought

Intentional thought is coined from the philosophy of Intentionality. This is described as the quality of our thoughts, beliefs, desires and hopes being directed towards some form of object or state of affairs. In laymen’s terms, or as the self-help gurus who have littered many of our bookshelves may say, you become what you think.

If there is anything that my life has shown me it is that what I speak out into the universe be it verbally, or that oh so familiar internal thought train that often goes whizzing past in my brain it will come to pass in some kind of way. Because of this, I have learned to not only ask for what I want but also have an intention behind it. This means that 9 times out of 10 I get what I want in an indirect way.

In my late twenties, I was struggling with some aspects of my life, and as I had spent some of my adolescent years in the church, my lack of hope and faith in my abilities led me towards the place where most people have testified to have experienced an awakening and turned their fruitlessness into blooming fields of blossoming crops. It was amongst this community that I learnt about the term purpose. I feel like my life has always had a purpose. Unlike some of my age mates, I knew the field my career would be directed in from the age of 16, I quickly identified that it was a passion of mine and something I would be happy doing come what may. What I did not know was how this premeditated goal would manifest itself.

The reality is our minds are an extremely powerful tool. Having the right focus increases the chances of our lives being more successful, leading to endless possibilities. When left to aimlessly wander with no direction we could be forced down dark narrow paths with no concept of where we are being led.

Another aspect of this perception is that what we are consuming can also induce the psychological patterns we fall into. For example, one of my favourite things to do is watch reality tv. At one point I think I was watching every city within the Real Housewives franchise mixed in with every season of the Kartrashions. These mindless shows were perfect because after a long week at work asking my brain to do anything thought-provoking was like torture. However, I found myself becoming entrapped within the underworld of the privileged adopting their petty ways of dealing with first world problems that are definitely not a true reflection of the world I live in. In the end, it tricked me into wanting my life to meld into theirs without knowing all the details bundled in pain, imagery, and downright fakery that would have never been included on my wish list.

It is imperative we remind ourselves that we must be clear about what we are asking for. This is because it will be given to us but not always packaged in the way we thought. Begging for fame, money, or even that 21 plate Range Rover comes with so many pitfalls that those who have succeeded in acquiring these things do not discuss the difficulties that accompany them. The countless tales of people seeming as if they are living at the top of their game. However, they end their lives is enough to show us that the joy in getting what you desire is rooted in the purpose you will use it for.

Regardless of what your core beliefs are, I believe we have all been put on earth for a reason so we might as well make it count for something. The world can be such a dark and regurgitating place that it is a breeding ground for our self-talk to be dominated by the things we don’t have. Remember that the grass is greener where you water it. Therefore, it is critical to understand what you want from the universe, because you will have to stay 10 toes down when it gets here.