Intention

Everything we do must be done with absolute intention—from the times you boldly say yes to the times you firmly say no, from when you offer help to when you face severe adversity. It is absolutely necessary that we know the exact reason why we are about to perform an action. We must educate and inform ourselves about all the variables involved in anything we are about to undertake. The practice of making “Educated Decisions” is a discipline we must adopt as early in life as possible. We can progress, move forward, and grow the fastest when deliberate intention and informed decision-making become the bedrock of our behavior in everything we execute.

“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.”
— Proverbs 14:15

“Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according to the perfect principles of art.”
— Marcus Aurelius

“System 2 thinking—the deliberate, analytical, and conscious processing of information—is required to override impulsive cognitive biases and execute complex, goal-directed behavior.”
— Dr. Daniel Kahneman (Cognitive Psychologist)

Intention is of immense value when applied to acts related to the people and situations we consider priorities in life. However, intention operates like anything else in this world involving good and evil. If a destructive result occurs, it often makes little difference whether the cause was a bad intention or a foolishly executed good one. Intention is the key, but performance and execution are what actually come into play. In life, there is a simple, undeniable logic: anything of true value or service becomes important and relevant in this human society. A skillful man or woman with the ability to resolve critical problems—whether applying a life-saving skill or economic knowledge that improves the lives of others and organizations—becomes an indispensable pillar of their community.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
— James 2:17

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
— Epictetus

“Deliberate practice, characterized by purposeful, structured, and highly focused effort, is the sole mechanism that transforms basic intention into elite, reproducible performance.”
— Dr. K. Anders Ericsson (Psychologist)

True intention is forged from deep knowledge and wisdom, yet intention can also be deeply deceiving. This is exactly where spiritual and practical wisdom becomes vital to all of us. Some people perform acts that appear good in nature merely to extract something unexpected, or to secretly produce a negative result from an action that outwardly seemed well-intended. According to the word of God, we must not do good things that appear evil, nor engage in things that seem good but are fundamentally corrupt. Furthermore, none of us should ever perform good deeds in order to manipulate anyone. Using the disguise of a well-intended act makes an evil deed exponentially worse, revealing a planned, premeditated darkness that destroys trust.

“Abstain from every form of evil.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:22

“There is nothing more despicable than a wolf in sheep’s clothing; false friendship is the worst of all.”
— Marcus Aurelius

“Microexpressions and autonomic nervous system responses often betray concealed malicious intent, proving that cognitive dissonance occurs when outward actions contradict internal deception.”
— Dr. Paul Ekman (Psychologist and Deception Expert)

Pure intention is one of the most powerful sources of motivation to accomplish what seems utterly impossible and to execute the extraordinary. I can testify from my own past, where I gave absolutely everything I had to make something happen for a person I truly loved. As with anything in this life, the more perspectives we gather, the better our comprehension of our surroundings, the situations we face, and the true value of the men and women standing beside us. Intention, fueled by genuine love and duty, grants us the sheer endurance to conquer adversity.

“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:3

“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.”
— Seneca

“A strong sense of purpose and intentionality activates the brain’s reward pathways, significantly increasing pain tolerance and psychological endurance during extreme adversity.”
— Dr. Viktor E. Frankl (Neurologist and Psychiatrist)

Intention can orchestrate terrible acts of deception just as easily as it can drive acts of immense value, where the truth and the well-being of the majority are secured. Ultimately, any serious discussion regarding virtue and intention always converges at the stark recognition of what is objectively good and what is objectively evil. Intention is a language we must desperately learn to read. Analyzing the intentions driving us, as well as those coming from others, equips us to accurately predict consequences. While good intentions combined with our hard-earned resources sound humane and beautiful, offering our hand blindly to people or entities that operate in darkness can force us to pay a devastating price for something we do not deserve.

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
— Matthew 10:16

“The appearance of things to the mind is the standard of every action to man.”
— Epictetus

“Psychopathy is characterized by the predatory manipulation of the empathy and good intentions of others, utilizing cognitive empathy without affective empathy to exploit resources.”
— Dr. Robert Hare (Criminal Psychologist)

Intention must always be strictly measured against our resources, our money, and the wealth that has cost us years of relentless effort and hard work to build. Intentions flow from the heart, and a well-intended person can easily become the victim of a malicious individual who acts like a saint until the exact moment to inflict damage arrives. When we are betrayed or used, the pain is profound. Therefore, keep your heart and your eyes wide open; if you cannot accurately read a person or do not know them well enough, it is profoundly wise to take the time to understand the true nature of the entity about to receive your kindness. I strongly recommend returning to the Book of Proverbs, which clearly describes the vicious nature of corrupt men and women. We must never lose our ability to act with kindness, yet we must exercise sharp discernment to know exactly where our well-intended actions should be aimed. Furthermore, when our intention is to help someone, we must be wise enough to realize that rescuing people from their own responsibilities often removes their ability to survive and earn what they need. If we strip away the sense of merit and responsibility, instead of helping, we create a useless, mediocre individual who becomes a lifelong burden rather than a complete, autonomous human being.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
— Proverbs 4:23

“Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart, but misplaced generosity breeds entitlement and weakness.”
— Seneca

“Learned helplessness occurs when an organism is repeatedly shielded from the consequences of its actions, permanently disabling its biological drive to solve problems and secure its own survival.”
— Dr. B.F. Skinner (Behavioral Psychologist)

As I always say regarding wealth: money and intentions, regardless of the results they produce, ultimately reveal the true, unfiltered nature of a person’s heart. We know there are hearts filled with pure intentions, but we must never ignore the reality that there are hearts completely willing to lie, steal, abuse, destroy, and reduce others just to selfishly acquire what they desire. Never forget that every action in life is exponentially more powerful when executed with deliberate intention. However, never ignore the necessity of taking a critical step back before acting to assess, analyze, and define exactly what it is you are about to do. When you choose to perform acts of goodwill, do them with zero expectations and without demanding anything in return; in that way, the satisfaction is purely yours and your soul remains in peace. Even in times of sudden danger and crisis, intention makes all the difference. According to its nature, a sharpened intention can drive a man or woman to perform extraordinary, life-saving acts, just as a corrupted intention can drive us directly into our own destruction.

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
— Luke 6:45

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. Money merely amplifies the character already present.”
— Epictetus

“Socioeconomic studies on wealth and behavior indicate that increased financial resources act as an uninhibiting behavioral amplifier, revealing and magnifying pre-existing moral and cognitive traits.”
— Dr. Paul Piff (Social Psychologist)

Written by: Rhet Arevalo Marini

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