Every presentation I give on organization starts with a discussion of intent. I ask people to take a quiet moment to think about why they came to the talk. And then there’s that awkward moment: If someone can’t think of a reason why they’re there, I suggest they step out. No one’s ever taken me up on this, but I’m serious! If you’re somewhere you don’t want to be, your focus and energy aren’t there. And other people pick up that which means you’re not only wasting your time, but you’re messing with the overall energy in the room.

You’ve sat next to that person who is texting during a show. Or who’s on the phone in the hallway for half of a talk. Or who slumps down and sighs and looks at the clock on the wall as the minutes slowly tick by… We don’t want to sit next to that person and we don’t want to be that person!

So now you’re back in the room. And even if you didn’t have an intent to start with, you’re thinking of reasons to be here. You want to learn something specific about organization. You want to meet other people who are dealing with the same stuff. Or maybe you just want a night out. All of these work because they give you focus.

Now here’s the tricky part:

Intent is a wish without any particular attachment to the outcome.

Intent gets you in the door. Intent helps you focus. Intent keeps you engaged. And then things just happen. You wanted to hear about X, but find yourself engaged with Y. You thought you came to learn and instead had a great conversation with a new neighbor.

Sometimes what you wish for isn’t what you need. And most of the time, I find the Universe has plans that we only get glimmers of. Being open to and seeing what comes up is where the magic happens and the joy begins.

I’ll leave you today with something that was headed for the trash and is now headed for the garden! My hubby calls this “Urge to Life.” 🙂

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