Good Morning and Happy New Year’s fellow Creative’s,

Before you roll your eyes at the thought of reading yet another relationship post, give me five minutes of your time before you ring in the New Year.  This is NOT an article on relationships but more of an article on time.  Your time.  This article was written to save you from unnecessary headache and heartache as you enter 2018.  If you are in a romantic relationship, a questionable friendship, or even a questionable situationships…this article is for you.  Understanding the difference between giving attention and being intentional can save you time and allow you to focus on building positive momentum in 2018.

So, why is it so important to know the difference between giving attention and being intentional?  It’s important because we need to know what people’s motives are in our lives.  Speaking from personal experience, I used to be a prolific attention giver, now my life has changed.  I’m more intentional about every interaction as I am aware of the power of energy and the dangers of wasted time.  I can attest its way better and more respectful to be intentional.

Attention is easier to give people than actually being intentional about them.  Attention, like most endorphin driven activities, is temporary, is easy, is convenient.  For example, in this day and age, its social media, instant access, and the powerful hand-held devices that allow us to instantly give attention to people.  This attention comes through likes, DM dipping, and shares.  Instantly making them feel wanted and approved.  But that’s where attention ends.  The follow through from the likes, DM dipping, endless texting, and shares is lacking because attention is reactive to our actions.  If we don’t act, there is no attention.  Attention is fleeting, it has no after thought, it’s as easy as a click or swipe.  It does not require commitment.  At the end of the day, attention is based on the convenience of one’s access to you…remove the access…the attention leaves and the excuses pile up.

Intentional or being intentional is the act of planning and executing with a plan.  It goes beyond liking pictures, DM dipping, or occasional texting with inconsistent tones.  Being intentional is the next step after declaring one’s purpose, it is the full commitment of one’s time and energy to someone.  Being intentional includes making plans and following through, it means phone calls, it means declaring one’s full intent, it means making one a priority and not an afterthought.  Being intentional is to be a leader and never a reactive.

The immediate and noticeable difference between attention and intentional is when you remove all conveniences…intentional still finds a way and not an excuse.

There is a saying that tomorrow is promised to no one.  As such, we can’t afford to have relationships with people who just give us attention when it conveniences them vs. people who are intentional with our time.  We should never feel the need to question the people in our lives.  Your time, my time, is limited…we can’t waste another minute questioning our circle…the ROI is too low.  2018 is the year of the Creative.  Don’t waste time on people or situations that will drain your energy and waste your invaluable time.

Happy New Year’s, see you in 2018.

-C.J. Guy