when your good intentions were not enough
Oct 08, 2026
Timeshare.
A 90-minute presentation. Free Disney tickets. A simple agreement with your spouse: WE ARE NOT BUYING ANYTHING!
NO. NO. NO!
Fast-forward several hours.
It's lunchtime. You're exhausted. And somehow, you're walking out with a brand-new timeshare.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
I know this experience firsthand. I've done it. TWICE!
It's almost as if my good intention was a snowball that slowly melted during the presentation, leaving behind nothing but a puddle of excuses and reasons.
And then comes my favorite part.
JUSTIFICATION!
If justification were an Olympic sport, I sometimes think I'd be standing on the podium. (Not necessarily something I'm proud of!)
But here's what I've been thinking.
This isn't really about timeshares, is it?
It's a microcosm of what happens in so many areas of our lives.
We intend to eat healthier, until dessert arrives.
We intend to spend more time with our family, until work demands more of us.
We intend to save money, until something we really want goes on sale.
We intend to forgive someone, until old emotions resurface.
We intend to help someone in need, until our own schedules become inconvenient.
Our intentions collide with our emotions, circumstances, and compromises. And sometimes, the wall of conviction comes tumbling down.
What's especially troubling is what happens next.
We begin losing trust in ourselves. We question our ability to follow through. And rather than confront the gap between our intentions and our actions, we reach into our toolbox and grab that well-worn tool of justification.
Psychologists call this the intention–behavior gap.
It's the difference between what we intend to do and what we actually do.
And here's why it matters.
Good intentions don't change lives. What we do with them does.
Think about the opportunities we miss when we fail to act.
A relationship that could have been strengthened. A struggling person who could have been encouraged. A family whose life could have been changed.
And what about the impact on our own lives? The fulfillment, purpose, and joy we might never experience because we keep postponing what matters most.
So how do we move from good intentions to a life of impact?
I believe it starts with three things.
1. RECOGNIZE — What's really stopping you?
Is it fear? Comfort? Distraction? Competing priorities? Or have you become exceptionally good at justifying your inaction?
You can't change what you refuse to acknowledge.
2. RESOLVE — Decide what matters most.
Good intentions need more than good feelings. They need conviction, commitment, and a plan.
Don't simply say, "I want to make a difference."
Decide who you want to help, why it matters, and what you're willing to do about it.
3. RESPOND — Turn your intention into action.
Make the call. Give the gift. Show up. Take the first step.
Don't wait until you have more money, time, or confidence.
Start with what you have, right where you are.
And remember, impact doesn't always happen in grand gestures. Sometimes the smallest action sets off a domino effect that changes someone's life.
Perhaps even your own.
So here's my challenge: What good intention have you been carrying around long enough?
Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Stop negotiating with your excuses. Stop settling for what you meant to do.
Your intentions may reveal what matters to you. Your actions determine what you do about it.
And if you're tired of the gap between the life you intend to live and the life you're actually living, I'd love to help.
Schedule a discovery call with me. Together, let's explore what's holding you back and how you can turn your good intentions into meaningful action.
Stop waiting. Start living what matters most.
Your life of impact is waiting!
Schedule Your Discovery Call (Free)
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