Diversion Is At the Core of Being Intentional

Recognising the diversion brings choice to the forefront.

To be intentional doesn’t mean to be purposeful, goal-driven, or aligned. Being intentional is when you engage in the human ability of diversion; the action of turning something away from its usual course.

It sounds counterintuitive. When we use the term intention in a sentence, it’s used to point towards acting on a specific goal or purpose. For example, he is intending to mow the lawn. Or, her intention is to have it finished by Friday. Intention seems to mean something very specific, not a diversion away something. So we use the word in daily life to replace terms like purpose or goal, yet diversion is still at the core.

The dictionary defines intention as an aim or a plan. But Voacularly.com also defines the word intention as an idea you plan or aim to do. Throw in a definition from Wiki that says, intention is a mental state where there is commitment to a course of action. Finally, psychologists, specifically the APA (American Psychologist Association) dictionary, defines intention as a prior conscious decision to perform a behaviour. So, is intention a prior decision or an idea to commit to a plan and then take action? This sounds like a great definition. So where does the diversion come into play? When we look at the mechanics of intention. It’s through the mechanics we can find the psychological skill of intention.