Our daily choices craft your life’s story—what will today’s chapter be?
I have a long list of goals, life ambitions, projects, and tasks I want to accomplish. I bet you do too. No matter the goals someone has already achieved, it’s human nature to crave more—to want to be better. That’s why everyone I speak with has at least one goal or idea that haunts them—a nagging sense that they just can’t find the time to do it all. Sound familiar?
The answer to doing and achieving more is actually pretty simple—perhaps annoyingly simple: Live intentionally.
Let’s look at an example. One of the most cherished parts of my day are the mornings and that’s because of the sacred morning routine I have carefully established for myself.
For most of my early working years, I sprinted out the door, putting on my tie at stoplights, and skipped breakfast entirely unless a meeting demanded it. While a younger me thought I was saving time and being incredibly efficient by rushing through my mornings, the fact was I was killing my mind and body—and I sure as hell wasn’t more productive because of it. I wasn’t living with intention.
Fast forward to the day we brought two Aussie puppies home. Just what my life of chaos needed, right? The two perfect cherries on top. Turns out, their presence in the home was just what I needed.
During the first few weeks, I kept the same old routine; the only difference was that my two wide-eyed and yapping puppies chased me around the house, adding to the morning dysfunction as I frantically looked for my tie and jacket. They knew I wouldn’t be home for hours and their puppy dog eyes instilled a new level of guilt in me—what’s a guy to do?
I begin waking up early to spend time walking Ziggy and Gracie. It wasn’t just for them; it was for me, too, I soon discovered. I started to appreciate the quiet space before the day’s chaos. It became more than a habit—it was a ritual. I learned to savor my coffee, move my body, plan my day, and enjoy the morning before everything else took over.
I love my mornings now. I walk the dogs, meditate, plan, and sip my first cup of coffee long before the younger me would have even thought about waking up. Yes, I get more done, but it’s not just about productivity. It’s like defragmenting my mind, resetting for whatever the day might bring. For me, it’s carving out intentional time so that I can bring my best self into the rest of the day.
While curating a morning routine is one way I live intentionally, I’m able to identify other ways by taking the time to review my progress towards my goals and holding myself accountable.
As the sun sets every evening, I ask myself a series of questions that help me stay on track:
1. What am I grateful for? (This one is incredibly important!)
2. Am I happy with how today went?
3. What am I proud of?
4. What will I do better tomorrow?
5. Are my goals clearly defined and actionable?
6. Do my goals hold meaning for me?
7. How much effort did I put towards my goals on a scale of 1-10
8. Did I live a balanced life? Family and Friends, Spirituality, Career, and person interests.
9. Did I take care of my health through self care and exercise?
These are just a handful of questions you can begin to ask yourself. For more on this, check out my Life Plan Review.
The next concept is one that my father and I explore in our book, Opposite the Crowd. In the Burkhard family, we have a simple but powerful practice. We ask ourselves how we’ve made an impact on someone else today. Imagine the names of everyone you interacted with written on a virtual index card. At the end of the day, ask yourself: Did you leave a positive mark, whether in big ways or small? If you can, put a plus sign next to their name on the index card. How many plus signs do you have?
The world becomes a better place when more of us understand the power of helping others. Your superpower might be leveraging your resources, successes, relationships, experiences, and talents to do good. In fact, doing good for others is the fastest way to find true meaning and create lasting happiness. When we help others, we’re not just passing through life—we’re living it with intention.
Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest — well, that is a choice. – Andy Andrews
So, what small change, or big change, will you make to live more intentionally tomorrow? Reply and let me know.
Until next time, friends.
Chris
If you enjoyed this article, I recommend reading these past Outside Insights posts:
23 Lessons from 23 Years in Business
Closing Your Gaps With See, Think, Act
Closing Your Gaps: The Power of Reading
This Outside Insights blog brought to you by my Life Plan Review. If you’re looking for the life you want and have a goal or two to get done and your looking for accountability in a community click here for more information.
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