Do You Have Honorable Intent?

WHAT IS YOUR REASON WHY?

Successful people have the POWER to meet or exceed growing EXPECTATIONS.  Put simply, successful people know what they want, why they want it, and have the power to get it.  

Conversely, people ultimately FAIL for three basic reasons: 
1. They fail to set clear expectations upon which they can take action.  (They fail then, because they don’t EXPECT to succeed.)
2. They fail because they lack the results-producing personal power to meet or exceed expectations.  (They fail then, because their EXPECTATIONS are greater than their power to EXECUTE.)
3. They fail because the underlying motive, their purpose, their intent is not clear and/or not right (it is unethical, immoral, or otherwise dishonorable).  They fail then, because they have no compelling reason WHY).

Today we talk about honorable intent in the context of your purpose - your reason why. 

 ”A man/woman should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it.  He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts.   

It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. 

He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. 

This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph.” ~ James Allen

Experience a Breakthrough in Your Personal Performance:
If you really want to analyze your personal performance and take it to the highest level, then I encourage you to truthfully look at three key elements - your expectations, your intent, and your execution.  Clear expectations are the beginning of success or failure.  In my experience working with hundreds of clients over the past 14 years to help grow their business and personal profitability, I have found that 80% of the time, their problem is in not having clear expectations - that are understood by all.  Even if they had clear expectations, they often are not properly aligned to the results that they most wanted.

The other 20% of the time, those businesses and organizations had lousy execution - they knew what to do, they just didn’t do it well.

You may be saying wait a minute - you started off by telling me there were three elements, but then shared that 80% of your clients had expectation issues, and 20% had execution problems - what about intent? — Glad you are paying attention!  

If you do nothing but ruthlessly establish crystal clear expectations aligned with the results that you want (your WHAT), and then execute brilliantly to achieve those expectations (your HOW), then you will be ahead of 90% of the pack.  However, if you want to make a difference, to change the world, to leave a legacy, then I challenge you to add a third component to your personal and business performance - HAVE HONORABLE INTENT (your WHY).  You see, you can do many things, you can achieve much, you can reach high standards that our world applauds, but it is in your reason WHY, in your purpose, and in your intent - that you become a difference-maker, a world-changer, and a legacy-leaver!

Want a real challenge?  Don’t just establish an honorable intent in your mind - but be willing to invite and be able to withstand scrutiny from others that share similar worldviews.  For me that includes, holding my intent (my reason why) up to my wife, to godly counselors, and to the Word of God.  If it passes those collective scrutinizing eyes then I feel confident in my purpose. 

How about a challenge - part II?  Look at a relationship where you and the other party are in conflict - now dig deep and assess your motive, your intent, your purpose in that conflict and in reconciling that relationship - is it honorable?  Ouch!  Maybe the best field to apply today’s message is right here - see today’s prayer for some more guidance.

DAILY PRAYER  
Pause to call to mind the MOST strained, cool, or distant relationship in your life today–even if it’s only a minor spat. Then work to develop a list of at least three characteristics about the other person in the conflict that are noble, right, or lovely. Now, as the Apostle Paul counsels in Philippians 4:8, take a break from your regular routine to “think on these things.” How might your approach to the present relationship conflict change by putting the apostle’s advice into action?  What if you shared, with genuine gratitude, those identified three noble/right/lovely characteristics with the other person.   

Lord, convict our hearts to have honorable intent, to be the peacemaker in conflicted relationships, to stretch for more worthy pursuits.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Look at how you are spending your time, your treasure, and your talent - do all expenditures reflect honorable intent?  Do they reflect any intent?