We're stuck. Stuck to the couch. Stuck scrolling. Stuck at work. Stuck in worn-out paths of habitual action. Stuck in patterns and echo chambers of thought. Stuck in carefully curated lives where we've traded our agency for endless comforts that wrap us in existential ennui.
As our eyes fixate on a constant parade of images meant to engage us, we notice something in the periphery. We see folks who are just like us, except they are actually, deeply happy and fulfilled. They seem to go through life with ease and grace, overcoming obstacles and making amazing things happen for themselves.
Peering closer, we see that these aren't gods or superhumans. They're just people who have chosen to not be stuck and decided to become the main characters in their own lives. Their success (as they define it!) is not a birthright bestowed upon a lucky few, but the result of lives lived with intention. And that's what this book is about - a practical guide on infusing purpose into life in a deliberate and evidence-based way.
Through a combination of inspiring stories about unlikely high performers and evidence from the bleeding edge of behavioral science, we present you with a toolkit for learning intention - not as a fluffy concept, but as five very trainable skills.
Get your copy of Intention today and live your potential.
Table of Contents
Part I Fundamentals 1
Chapter 1 Introduction 3
Chapter 2 A Languishing World 9
Chapter 3 What Is Intention? 15
Chapter 4 Becoming Main Characters 21
Chapter 5 Intention Is Trainable 29
Part II Willpower 35
Chapter 6 The Surprising Impact of Willpower Attitude 37
Chapter 7 High Performers Have Nonlimited Willpower 45
Chapter 8 Physical Ingredients to Willpower 53
Chapter 9 How to Train the Experience of Willpower 63
Chapter 10 Willpower as a Team Sport 73
Part III Curiosity 79
Chapter 11 High Performers Are Curious 81
Chapter 12 Don’t Stop (Re)believing 89
Chapter 13 How to Change Your Mind 95
Chapter 14 Believing Together 101
Part IV Integrity 111
Chapter 15 Living Our Values 113
Chapter 16 How to Uncover Your Values 121
Chapter 17 When Values Conflict 131
Chapter 18 Know Thy Team 141
Part V Attention 151
Chapter 19 High Performers Are Focused on the Right Things 153
Chapter 20 Directing the Spotlight 159
Chapter 21 Spotlights at Work 165
Chapter 22 Intentional Wandering 171
Chapter 23 Not All Flow Is Created Equal 177
Chapter 24 Focusing Teams 185
Part VI Habits 191
Chapter 25 The Roots of High Performance 193
Chapter 26 Taking Control of Unconscious Actions 197
Chapter 27 Finding the Power Within 207
Chapter 28 The Importance of Workplace Rituals 219
Part VII Closing 225
Chapter 29 Intention in Our Relationships 227
Chapter 30 The Garden of Intention 237
Notes 243
Index 267
