Success is Built One Intentional Move at a Time

Which of these statements resonates more with your life experience?

• Success is built one intentional move at a time.
• Failure is built one careless move at a time.

The first statement reflects my attempt to refine the theme for this article, which focuses on the impact of our actions, into a concise statement. However, I realized it didn't tell the whole story, which led to my second statement.

Looking back, my life was shaped by both success and failure. Careless moves taught me the importance of being intentional, even though intentional actions didn't always guarantee success - just as carelessness didn't always lead to failure.

My simple conclusion was that success and failure are two sides of the same coin, shaped by the same force - our actions. These actions may be singular acts or tasks or the cumulative effect of recurring routines, habits or behaviors, each contributing to varying amounts of success or failure over time.

So, are your actions intentional, guided by thoughtful planning and a clear purpose aligned with your priorities, or do they tend to be careless, random and reactive, dictated by circumstance?

Here are five thoughts to consider.

1. Intentional Action Improves the Probability of Success

Our actions are driven by our decisions, which can be consciously or unconsciously influenced by the quality of our thoughts, thought processes, patterns and beliefs, whether empowering or limiting. They are also shaped by our mindset, which can be manually adjusted to work to our benefit or left on autopilot, which sometimes can work against us in our decision-making.

Our actions are, in effect, our thoughts and beliefs translated into motion by our decisions, which can lead to either aimless activity or purposeful achievement. However, success doesn't just come from being busy or active - it's constructed, one intentional move at a time.

Intentional actions are not aimless; they require a clear sense of purpose and are proactive rather than reactive. Like a chess player making deliberate moves, each action we take shapes the final result. When consistent and purposeful, our intentional actions move us closer to achieving the milestones that lead to our larger goals and improve our probability of success.

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." - Stephen R. Covey, from "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People"

2. Careless Actions Diminish the Probability of Success

Careless actions can be equally powerful but often lead to undesired outcomes. Careless actions stem from thoughtless decisions and are typically reactive, driven by short-term convenience or personal preferences rather than principles or priorities that lead to long-term success.

While not all careless moves result in failure, they undoubtedly increase the odds of negative outcomes. More importantly, careless actions require additional effort to overcome the setbacks created.

At the very least, careless actions and their ineffective results should cause a person to pause and hopefully ask the following questions –

• What did I learn from the consequences of my careless action?
• What were the root causes of my careless action – my thoughts, beliefs, mindset or decision process?
• How can I apply what I learned to act with more intention?

If we fail to learn from our carelessness, we risk repeating the same mistakes, allowing patterns of ineffective behavior to persist. The bottom line is that investing our time and energy in intentional actions toward our goals or priorities is more productive than correcting avoidable missteps.

"Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble, but fools are careless and quick to act." - Proverbs 14:16 (NCV)

3. Intentionally Evolve to Adapt to Changing Circumstances

Even the most intentional individuals can find themselves stuck in routines or strategies that have worked well in the past but are no longer effective. The challenge isn't always in being intentional but in aligning intentionality with evolving goals, priorities or circumstances.

Intentionality doesn't mean rigidity. While staying committed to your goals is important, how you achieve them may need to evolve. What once led to success might no longer yield the same results in a new context. Recognizing when your approach needs updating is essential to continued growth and progress.

To avoid this, consider these questions -

• In what ways might my current approach be misaligned with my current goals and priorities?
• How might my past successful approaches not align with the current realities I face?
• How might I need to adapt to changing circumstances or challenges?

Regularly reflecting on and evolving your approach ensures that your intentional actions remain forward-focused and effective. When paired with adaptability, intentionality creates the foundation for continued success in changing environments.

"Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react, and reinvent." - Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft

4. Take Personal Responsibility for Actions or Inaction

Taking responsibility for our actions is central to intentional living. Whether we succeed or fail, the results are shaped by our choices, not by chance. This is empowering because it puts success in our hands. When we act intentionally, we take control of our lives, making decisions aligned with our values, beliefs, principles and priorities. As Stephen Covey says, "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions."

However, planning alone isn't enough. Many people stall or become stuck due to limiting beliefs or self-doubt, or they may be apathetic or ambivalent, resulting in inaction and missed opportunities. Intentionality must be paired with action to build momentum. We can transform good intentions into meaningful results by confronting our fears and taking small steps forward.

"Action is the foundational key to all success." - Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and sculptor

5. Build Momentum With Each Intentional Move

Acting with intention builds momentum. Every deliberate action, no matter how small, contributes to forward progress. Momentum is vital because it keeps you moving and creates a sense of accomplishment, reinforcing future intentional actions.

Even the achievements of the most accomplished people you may know likely weren't the result of one giant leap but rather a series of intentional moves, each building upon the last. When consistent, thoughtful actions generate momentum, one of the most potent forces for success.

"When you have momentum on your side, the future looks bright, obstacles appear small, and troubles seem inconsequential." – John C. Maxwell, from "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"

Final Thoughts

The principle of "sowing and reaping" provides an impactful metaphor for the relationship between actions and outcomes. Just as a farmer prepares the fields and plants the seeds to harvest later, we must take intentional actions to achieve our goals.

Pastor and author Dr. Charles Stanley, in his book, "30 Life Principles", states in Life Principle #6 (based on Galatians 6:7-8), "You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow." This statement emphasizes that the impact of our actions extends beyond the immediate present; what we do today shapes our future. Small, intentional moves can lead to sustained success, while careless actions may result in unintended negative consequences that compound over time.

So, as you move ahead, will your actions follow a path of intention, carelessness, ambivalence, or apathy? The choice you make will profoundly shape your future outcomes.

"An unintentional life accepts everything and does nothing. An intentional life embraces only the things that will add to the mission of significance." – John C. Maxwell from "Intentional Living"