I've been listening to Seth Godin's wisdom on how we define and determine what our focus is and ultimately what becomes the result of our actions.
He asks "Is it a Hobby? Or is it work?"... because "if it's work, its for other people"
How does that change what we do and how we do it?
If it's for ourselves, a hobby, a curiosity, something to amuse, entertain or satisfy ourselves- then it can be whatever we want.
If it's meant for other people- a program, a speech, a design, a book etc- then it needs to achieve something.
In both instances, the outcome is to bring about "change"- either it changes you, through curiosity and learning (hobby).
Or it's to change the people the thing is meant for (work).
And I'm not talking about "changing the system" or "changing your life" levels of change (although it can be). I'm just talking "something, changes".
Seth asks us, to ask three important questions about the thing we intend to do, that seeks to change the world around us.
- Who, specifically, am I building this thing for?
- What is it for? What does it do?
- What change am I seeking to make?
The idea behind this being "intentional actions"- know what you're doing, who you're doing for and what change you hope to make with it.