Part 2: Living with Intentionality: Core Values and Focused Goals
As I began to focus on intentional, focused living, I realized that focus isn’t about endless productivity—it’s about developing clarity and discipline. Intentionality helps us navigate through the noise of life and focus on what truly matters.
Over many years, I was able to start building the blocks of real productivity and focus after taking The Focus Course by Shawn Blanc and his wonderful staff over at Blanc Media. Much of how I view focus comes from his course work that meticulously walks you through how to produce focus and root out distractions in your own life.
Holding Ourselves Accountable to Intentionality: One of the ways I started to hold myself accountable was through the work of The Focus Course. This course gave me practical tools for cutting through distractions and staying focused on what matters to me. It forced me to slow down, decide what’s important for me, my family, and take the necessary steps to reduce the incoming distractions of life.
Building a Life Vision: To live an intentional life, I realized that I needed to be clear about my values and goals. I started by developing a life vision based on my core values and roles. Here’s a glimpse into my own life vision:
In my roles as a husband, father, friend, and life-long student, I want to express, impart, and exemplify the value of wholeheartedness by pursuing curiosity of self and embodying the love, peace, and presence of Jesus. I also aim to live a life of simplicity by choosing to live simply and generously, so I can spend more time with those who matter most.
Examining my Core Values:
Wholeheartedness: This means living authentically, embracing vulnerability, and bringing the full capacity of myself to those around me. I cultivate this through journaling, self-reflection, and building strong relationships.
How do I build this into my life? Journaling and self-reflection Relationships with my wife and close friends Regular time spent with God Time spent in counseling or seeking the counsel of those who are a life stage ahead of me.
Simplicity: This is about constantly questioning if something provides value and getting rid of the rest. It’s similar to minimalism for me. It’s about clearing the clutter in both life and mind to make room for what truly matters.
Better said: “Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.” – The Minimalists
How do I build this into my life? My wife and I have become the types of people that constantly challenge our possessions in our home. After a holiday or birthday we take the time to purge. When a new season comes, we take the time to purge. While not everyone is like this, for us, clutter makes us anxious and leaves us unsettled. Another example from the digital realm, I’m constantly unsubscribing from emails. Sure, emails provide a lot of value. But how many times do you miss something important because you have hundreds of unread emails, or how often do you feel overwhelmed by your inbox? I take the time to plan my week as much as possible. You can’t accomplish the whole world, so I take time to find out my weekly and daily priorities and often times I can quickly determine if they are in line with my values and mission in life. Not everything lines up, but it’s a good measuring stick.
How to Cultivate Focus and Intentionality:
Regularly question whether your actions align with your values. This applies to both personal and professional life.
Declutter your mind and space often. Digital detoxes, email purging, or scheduling margin into your day are ways to help remove distractions.
Embrace margin. Give yourself the space to slow down. Some of the best moments in life happen when you leave room in your schedule for spontaneity.
Intentionality doesn’t mean having it all together—it means taking the time to reflect and course-correct as you go. The key to living with intention is to define your core values and align your goals with them.