In Stephen Covey’s book, “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” his first habit is to ‘Be proactive.’ Covey states, “This is the ability to control one’s environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. We don’t have to function on ‘auto pilot. Proactivity means that, as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen”.

Steven Pavlina writes it this way: “If a reactive person were to captain a ship, the ship would flow with the currents. This person would be preoccupied with studying the currents, trying to predict where the ship will end up as a function of the currents. If the currents are good, this person is happy. If the currents are poor, this person feels stressed. On occasion this person might attempt to set a destination, and if the currents are good, the ship will arrive. But if the currents are poor, this person will bemoan them and give up the destination for an easier one. If a proactive person were to captain a ship, however, the ship would go wherever the captain wanted it to go. This captain would still note the currents, but they’d merely be used for navigational purposes. Sometimes the ship would flow with the currents; other times it would steam against them. It matters little whether the currents are good or not; this captain will reach the intended destination regardless of the currents. The currents can only control the time of arrival and the exact path from starting point to final destination. But the currents have no power to dictate the final destination; that is entirely the captain’s choice.”

Substitute the word “intentional” for “proactive” and you have the essence of Intentional Achievements.  As you can imagine, there is also more to being the captain than to just understanding the currents.  There is a whole course of study and years of proven application to demonstrate you have the knowledge and ability to safely sail a ship from one port to another.  In the movie Captain Phillips, he used his intuition, creativity, training, leadership, experience and courage to stay off the pirate assault. In the midst of a terrifying and dangerous situation, he was still able to use these characteristics and skills to stay focused on his mission and remain in control.  He was always thinking ahead to how he would lead and direct the actions and movements of himself, his crew and his assailants.  That is the epitome of not letting the circumstances control you; to control one’s environment–being Intentional.

Don’t flow with the currents.  Be proactive.  Determine where you want to be and use your intuition, creativity, training, leadership, experience and courage to steam against the currents which would try to keep you from achieving your dreams and goals.  Be Intentional.  It is entirely your choice.

To your Intentional Success!