Shall we focus less on intentions and more on impact?
Don’t get me wrong. Intentions are important. Great stories often start with good intentions.
However, intentions are safe. They only exist in our mind. They don’t require any action. They don’t yet affect other living beings in the real world.
It’s only after taking action that intentions turn into impact, and you begin to make a change in our world. Taking action requires courage. Since your actions have a real impact on other living beings, taking action also comes with responsibility.
Good intentions do not always lead to a positive impact. If you genuinely care about your intentions, you actively validate your impact and act accordingly.
Does your impact match your intentions? How do you know? What do you do if they don’t?
As a social entrepreneur, do you adapt your services or close your shop? As a product developer, do you change features or withdraw a product? As a human being, do you acknowledge poor judgment and learn how to do better next time?
We live in a complex world where outcomes are not always known in advance. A mismatch between intentions and impact can happen to anyone. It’s how we respond to a mismatch that defines us.
Do we hide behind our intentions, or do we have the strength of character to learn from a mismatch and try do better in the future?
