Importance of Intention

 Does a good deed done with a bad intention count as good? How about a bad deed done with a good intention? Good / bad have a moral judgement associated with them. Also, there is no clear rulebook calling out what’s good and what’s bad. It’s subjective; one man’s good can be another’s bad. Even terrorists believe they are doing the right thing and will be rewarded for their actions. To a neutral observer, the outcome is all that matters.

If you give to charity only to save tax, would it still count as contribution? Yes, it would. It did enable someone to pay their medical bills, put a roof over someone’s head or provide a meal to someone. It did make a difference; whether you intended that or not. The difference being the satisfaction you get out of the act. Worth experimenting to see how changing your intention changes your experience.

A strong intention can do miracles. When the covid pandemic struck, Sonu Sood stood up and did for the country what even elected leaders could not or chose not to do. People started reaching out to him in times of need rather than to the government who conveniently abandoned them. His intention was to help stranded migrants reach their homes, help sick people struggling for oxygen and medicines get what they needed. It is unimaginable that in a country of a billion plus one person can be a savior. Yet it happened. One intention created a snowball effect - this is how powerful it can be.

Do the ends justify the means? There are times you want something badly enough to indulge in acts that are otherwise outside your acceptable zone or even break some rules. Telling yourself that your intentions are noble is just a pacifier. You just do not want to own up your actions or their consequences. The government of India prioritized exporting vaccines to other countries even when India became the 3^rd worst hit country by covid. However noble the intention to save lives elsewhere, this action was strongly condemned. Showing such altruism is downright vulgar.

Some questions you can ask yourself to check your intentions are, “Why am I doing <<insert your proposed action>>?”, “What outcomes am I realistically looking at?”, “What could be the unintended consequences of my action?”

Whatever you do bring an intention to it. This will help you get more juice out of your acts. Plus, once you really think it through, you will often be discouraged from pursuing a path that is not in alignment with your values.