It’s Not Just That You Show Up—It’s How
You can have awareness. You can be willing. You can know your values.
But if you’re not intentional about how you act on all of that? You’re just going through the motions.
Intention is the bridge between knowing and doing—done with purpose.
It’s the difference between busy-ness and productivity. Between reacting and responding. Between showing up and showing up with clarity.
And over time, those intentional choices compound into the reputation, relationships, and results you’ve been building toward.
Showing Up With Intention: A Volleyball Example
Let me give you a sports example first, because it translates perfectly.
In volleyball, we “pepper” to warm up—controlled passes back and forth to get your touch dialed in. When you’re first starting out, your ability to control the ball isn’t there yet. So if you pepper with intention—square your platform, push your arms out, focus on form—you get better over time. Your control becomes obvious.
But if you’re just messing around? You stay inconsistent.
Now, don’t get me wrong—there’s a time for messing around. But when you want to get better, you have to spend some time being intentional about the motions, movements, and actions.
It’s the same thing at work. It’s the same thing in life.
If you want to fix something, you need to focus on it and take small actions—micro-choices—that feed into a longer-term, better outcome.
A Personal Example: Gamifying My Bills
There was a time when paying my bills was difficult and not a fun task. I wanted that to change.
So I took an example from a friend and gamified it for myself. I made it a challenge. I tracked progress. I celebrated small wins. And slowly, over time, I was able to see the change.
I still do that today, and it’s been a huge benefit.
Could there be a “better” way? I’m sure there is. But making that intentional change in how I managed my funds gave me the outcome I needed.
And here’s the thing: some things need continuous improvement (I’ve talked about that in other series). But in priority order, if something is working, you leave it alone and focus on the items that need attention first.
The Lack of Intention Is Also a Choice
Have you ever met someone who sat through all the planning sessions, email chains, or conversations—never spoke up—but when something went wrong, they suddenly knew it was going to happen?
Or they complain about the outcome even though they never offered facts, information, or help?
Or maybe they gloss over an email and fire back a quick reply without reading the full context, creating a frustrating back-and-forth that could have been avoided with one intentional pause?
Those are choices too. A willful lack of intention.
And over time, that lack of intention shapes your reputation just as much as intentional action does—just in the opposite direction.
Intention vs. Busy-ness: How to Tell the Difference
Let’s use a daily professional calendar as an example.
Busy-ness looks like this:
- Eight hours of meetings a day, three or four of which were optional
- Not saying anything or adding value (because you were optional)
- Leaving work undone, or staying extra hours to complete it
- Saying, “Oh goodness, I am sooo busy!”
Intention looks like this:
- If a meeting is optional and you won’t add value, you accept tentatively (so you can see the thread) and use that time to focus on work that needs to be done
- You protect your calendar for deep work
- You make choices that lead toward productivity, completion, and fulfillment—not just activity
We joke: “All work and no play makes Johnny a boring boy.”
But here’s the real problem: All meetings and no work makes work-life balance nonexistent—and “busy” feels overwhelming instead of productive.
So ask yourself: Are you making intentional choices or actions that lead you toward productivity, completion, and fulfillment?
Micro-Choices That Fuel Intentional Living
Showing up with intention starts with how you fuel yourself and structure your days.
1. Fuel yourself first.
Are you using your PTO and downtime to fill your cup and get rest? Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a requirement for sustained intention.
2. Take notes in every meeting.
Yes, every meeting. Even if there’s no place for you to speak up all the time, you should be taking your own notes 100% of the time. It keeps you engaged, captures what matters, and helps you show up prepared next time.
3. Move your body.
Whether it’s the gym, a yoga class, a bike ride, or a walk around the block, movement helps keep your energy up and your stress down. (Insert volleyball here!)
4. Check in.
With yourself. With a mentor. With your friends. Maintaining relationships is healthy for your soul and continues to challenge you to be your best self. Even if they’re just in your corner supporting you, that positivity—and yes, that accountability (we’ll get there next post!)—keeps you moving.
Intention Builds Reputation
When we are intentional in what we do, it precedes us in our reputation.
There are leaders who, when I meet them, say, “Oh, I’ve heard wonderful things,” or “You’ve built a reputation for yourself.”
That didn’t come from one moment. That came from a constant cultivation of what I expect for myself and how I choose to show up.
Your reputation is your pattern, not your peak. And that pattern is built through intentional, repeated choices.
Intention + Boundaries = Clarity
There are lines that even the kindest and most giving people cannot have crossed. These are boundaries. They’re malleable lines, but when pushed past, they create tension.
We want to avoid that where possible. But the key is to understand your values so that when those boundaries are pushed, you can understand it—not just feel it—which leads to clarity in decisions.
Saying no when something doesn’t feel right isn’t bad.
You’re not going to say no on a daily basis. But when something doesn’t sit right, you’ll know when to ask more questions, and you’ll be able to share—in an intentional way—that this doesn’t align with your values and you’re not comfortable.
If it doesn’t sit right with you, there’s a reason.
You are allowed to protect your energy, maintain your reputation, and choose how you want to engage.
The Pause Before the Action
When you need to pause, there are a few ways to handle it:
If it’s email:
Take a breath. Walk away. Come back and read it again before making any response. Let your brain settle before you hit send.
If it’s in person:
It’s okay to excuse yourself. Or say, “That’s something I’d like to discuss later.” Something that diffuses the situation and gives you time to breathe—and for your brain to stop screaming.
The pause is where intention lives.
Try This: Intention Audit
Take a few minutes this week and ask yourself:
- Where am I going through the motions instead of showing up with intention?
- Am I choosing productivity—or just busy-ness?
- What’s one micro-choice I can make daily that aligns with my values and goals?
- Where do I need to pause before acting?
Final Thought
Intention is not about perfection. It’s about choosing on purpose.
It’s about making small, aligned decisions that compound over time into the life, career, and reputation you actually want.
Because showing up is one thing.
Showing up with intention? That changes everything.
Next up: Part 5 – Accountability: Owning Your Part
Because intention sets the direction—but accountability keeps you on the path.
Authentic Evolution Journey 