The 3 Pillars of Intention

April's Kaleidoscope Project

Apr 11, 2025

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host a fun project each month where they encourage people to submit some type of creative endeavor in line with a central theme.

In January, those of us who accepted the challenge wrote about tipping points, and in February, about taking action. In March, we talked about permission.

And now, here we are, 4 months in, writing about (and with!) intention.

In yoga, there is a lot of emphasis placed on intent.

At the beginning of most asana practices, teachers invite students to close their eyes and set an intention for the practice. It’s a beautiful thing.

In everyday life though, it can be harder to set and keep intentions.

A great many of us go through the motions of life without any real thought. However, moving through the daily grind with no intentions isn’t ideal.

I was on a Zoom call earlier this year where the host asked the participants one simple question: “What is the definition of insanity?”

Another person on the call answered, “Doing the same thing day in and day out and expecting a different result.”

That wasn’t the answer I had in my head (mine was “A really hard workout program”), but thinking back on it, I remember being stunned into silence at that moment.

Because that’s it.

That really does cause insanity.

So many people play it small. Maybe they truly have to, and trust me when I say, I get it. I do.

However, what I think separates those who “make it big” or even just attain a level of comfort with their success, have done so because they made an intentional choice to change something or many things about their life. And maybe even more importantly, they continue to make those choices every single day. Those new choices are often repetitive, boring, and monotonous, but they compound over time. They build something up.

Credit: Ramin Nazer AKA Rainbow Brainskull

Building a life with intention means building a life where you are in the driver’s seat.

Starting to build anything is tough, but there comes a point in the journey where the pieces all (or mostly, anyway) come together and things just click.

Often, at least in my experience, that satisfying click into place happens right after the moment when you want to give up.

Credit: Edson Junior, AKA “DUM” - One of my favorite illustrations of all time, depicting that many turn around, discouraged, right before they strike gold (or diamonds in this case)

To live with intention, I believe you have to have 3 major components.

1. Commitment

Merriam-Webster defines commitment as “an agreement or pledge to do something in the future” or “the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled”.

I love the use of “impelled” here, meaning “the urge to drive forward, or on by, or as if by the exertion of strong moral pressure”. We’ll see morals mentioned again here in a second.

If your intention is to become sober, or to start a business, or to get your first paid subscriber, or to become a millionaire, or to get married, you must commit to being the type of person who would do exactly that.

Don’t just make the change; embody the change because it is now in your new moral set of values to do so.

2. Integrity

Merriam-Webster defines integrity as having “the quality or state of being complete or undivided”, or the better one for this post’s context, “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values”.

Ah, morals, there they are again. But I love that this definition also includes artistic values. Remember, as human beings, we are all creative by nature. Even and especially those of you who always say you’re not!

What you create and how you create is up to you. But you might need to get creative with this next step…

3. Discipline

Merriam-Webster defines discipline as “control gained by enforcing obedience or order”, “orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior”, and maybe my favorite, “to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control”.

Self-control is having agency over your emotions and impulses— and it is hard work!

But with these three simple components, I genuinely feel as though anyone can change their life. But you need all three. And just because they are simple concepts doesn’t mean they are easy to implement.

So, what does it look like when we put them all together?

First, make a commitment.

Define, articulate, and visualize - in detail - what you want. Don’t be afraid to have the audacity to firmly believe that you can get it. You have to intend to make a change long before any changes will be seen or felt. Once you have your vision/intention, commit to it!

Then, have the integrity to follow through.

By setting an intention and by visualizing your desired reality, you’ve only just begun your journey. Make whatever your goal is a primary mission.

Adhere to the code of values you instilled in yourself just by setting an intention. It might help to write these new morals and standards down somewhere you’ll see them every day. It might help to do affirmations in the mirror. It might help to introduce yourself as your new persona and fake it until you make it. Whatever your journey is, integrity is integral to its success.

Last, discipline is your friend.

As much as we’d all wish differently, there comes a point when motivation runs dry. Even passions can seem like a chore sometimes. That’s where discipline comes in.

People think motivation creates discipline, but in my experience, it’s the other way around. Discipline creates motivation.

It’s also important to remember that not much happens overnight.

Your intention is going to be brought about brick by brick, day by day. And your new reality isn’t going to be built by doing the same things over and over again.

You’ll have to try new things. Likely, you’ll fall flat on your face a few times. Likely, you’ll feel awkward and out of place and get imposter syndrome. Sometimes, your bricks will be wonky and misaligned. But keep building regardless (because in about 80-100 years, someone on HGTV will say your rough intention bricks have a desired, appealing character about them).

Keep your intention in mind and strive not for perfection, but for progress.

To grow is to accept that the things you want are on the opposite side of corresponding struggles.

Joy is on the other side of sorrow. Laughter is on the other side of tears. Wealth is on the other side of scarcity.

So, go out and embrace intention. Live your life with intent. Go the extra mile for your dreams. Build your life moment by moment. Day by day. Build a life you love.

Hey, by the way, you’re awesome for getting all the way through this. I know it’s been a long one!

Thank you, as always, for being here.

I appreciate you more than you know.

And while you’re here at the bottom of this article, would you spare a few more moments to like, leave a comment on, and/or share this post? Every interaction helps!