Part 1 of 3
Thirty-five years ago, I started my business. While I don’t remember every detail from that season of life, I remember the feelings. Exhilaration and fear drove relentless focus. Every decision carried weight because I was building something out of both conviction and necessity.
Looking back, I can see that success was shaped long before any external evidence appeared. Before the clients. Before any semblance of stability. Before the confidence others eventually saw. Lately, I’ve been thinking about that season because I meet so many people standing on the edge of meaningful change. Some are there because they chose it, and others because life chose it for them. A career transition. A personal crossroads. A long-delayed dream that is finally demanding attention.
In 2012, I wrote about three “friends” whose state of being makes them archetypes for the journey many are on right now. Each possesses a quality I believe matters deeply as we navigate uncertainty and move toward a life that feels more aligned. I will reintroduce these friends —Intentionality, Perspective, and Surrender — in a three-part series.
Ultimately, these are not separate characteristics we embody. They are interconnected parts of becoming whole. Intentionality without perspective can become rigid. Perspective without surrender can remain intellectual rather than transformational. Surrender without intentionality can drift into passivity.
Together, the three create resilience. Together, they help us continue moving forward when outcomes are uncertain, and the road ahead is not fully visible.
In this first installment, let’s meet Intentionality.
Intentionality knows herself. She has done the difficult and honest work that brings about self-awareness. She understands her strengths and capabilities and recognizes her limitations without shame or defensiveness. As a result, she is clear about what she wants, and equally clear about what she no longer wants.
Perhaps intentionality is choosing to step away from a long and successful career and move on to something new. She is surrounded by opinions, suggestions, and well-meaning advice. Some are wise counsel; some are simply noise. Every time she feels pulled in too many directions, she returns to one central question:
What choice best reflects my core values and purpose right now?
That clarity creates momentum. There is tremendous power in knowing what matters to you and refusing to abandon it simply because uncertainty enters the room.
Intentionality is the first friend to invite on the journey. She will not hand you a map. What she offers is something far more durable: a compass, ensuring you can always find your metaphoric North Star, your values and purpose, when the path inevitably becomes detoured or unclear.
And yet a compass is not enough. We can focus so narrowly on our plans that we miss what the journey is trying to teach us. That is where our second friend, Perspective, comes in. Next month, I’ll introduce you to her, the friend who climbs to higher ground and invites us to see our circumstances, and ourselves, with fresh eyes. And in the final installment, Surrender will offer what might appear counterintuitive: that letting go of control regarding rigid outcomes or a specific “How?” is not the same as giving up. Until then, I invite you to sit with Intentionality’s question: What choice best reflects my core values and purpose right now? You may be surprised by the clarity it brings.
