How to Clarify your Intent? A deep-dive into developing focus and intention

Today, I’m going to tell you a story about my martial arts teacher.

This happened a few years ago, when I was training with Sifu Phu, who is a masterful practitioner of many martial arts.

I have been visiting him for private training for over a decade.

One time, we were training ‘Push Hands’, which is a subset of Tai Chi, where you push in a certain direction so as to imbalance your opponent.

It's an exercise or a game which requires intense concentration, for every slightly imbalanced move you make, your opponent can sense, and use it to imbalance you and throw you off.

For instance, if I apply 10 lbs of force, and so does my opponent, we are in balance, as long as we are both pushing against each other.

Now, we take this opposing pressure, and move it in a fluid circular motion, waiting for one of the participants to miscalculate.

Imagine holding up a glass of water on an open palm, and now moving your hand in circles. You can easily lose your balance and the water may spill.

In Push hands, the glass of water is your opponent's pressure, and spilling would mean becoming off balance.

 I was particularly bad at this game, and would constantly make unforced errors.

One day, I became frustrated and asked my teacher, what am I really doing wrong?

Why am I not getting this right?

Seemed simple enough to me at first sight.

I’ll never forget what he told me.

“You think you are pushing straight, but you are not. Your intention is unclarified.”

I asked him, “What do you mean unclarified? I am pushing exactly in a straight line.”

He said, “No you want to push straight, doesn't mean you’re actually doing it.

You start with the intention, but the instant you experience a change in my pressure, your intention becomes confused.”

I nodded, he continued.

“You sway your intention from side to side, pushing not at me, but beside me. Your fear intercepts your intention and misguides it.”

Then he proceeded to demonstrate how when the pressure increased, I began pushing at an angle, and not in a straight line.

When I saw it happen in real time, I couldn't believe my eyes!

I started laughing.

Because it was so incredible to see my body, do something I specifically told it NOT to do.

Then I closed my eyes, calmed my mind, and clarified my intention.

I visualized pushing in a straight line, no matter what happened.

I chose to apply a balanced pressure forward.

Such that even if resistance came, I would adjust to it in real time while maintaining the chosen direction I wanted to move in.

I was clarifying my intention.

And then it happened.

A perfect push hands roll, a beautiful harmony between two opposing forces.

Not one leading the other, but both moving in harmony and precise alignment.

Such balance happens only when we respond to life’s challenges precisely, like my teacher taught me how to respond to his force correctly.

Not push it away, not let it collapse you, but be with it, move with it, with equal pressure.

This requires intention. 

It doesn't happen on its own.

Precise response to a life’s problem is never an accident.

So what is such a clarified intention in real life?

How to develop intentionality? 

Calm Focus: Every webinar we do on Sunday’s begins with an “Acceptance” meditation. One of the goals of this meditation is to develop a calm focus before we discuss any important topic. Calmness is the first step. Without calmness, aiming our intention becomes impossible. Always works towards having this calm focus.   

Remember the Why:  A lot of us begin that course, start learning that new language, or we pick up a new artform, and then forget why we started it in the first place. It is important to remind ourselves why we are doing what we are doing. The why keeps us focused on the intention behind our action. If we lose the why, the distractions begin.   

Take time to decide: Think carefully about how you want to design your life. Know exactly how you want it to look by pursuing your drifts. [Drifts are your natural inclinations, your innate talents and callings. For some it's art, for some science, for some sports.] Whatever your drift is, think deeply about it, not in passing or superficially. This creates an intention to move towards it. It focuses your subconscious mind in that direction.

Sit physically still everyday: 20 mins of physical stillness cultivates razor sharp intention. It takes you to a place of peace and anchors your mind there. It makes stability and focus on your default state. Stray away from this peace, and just like me, you won't know when your intention has veered away. 

Write about what you want: Writing makes the mind alert to its own intentions. A journal begins with chaos and ends in clarity. Watch it happen. Watch how you write on day 1, compared to day 60. It’s the voice of a much more intentional person.

Be consistent: Becoming better at something takes consistency. Don’t give up too soon. It will take a while before you know whether you like it. So stick with it for a month before you make up your mind. And once you do, stick with it for 6 months before you reevaluate whether it is worth pursuing. Consistency creates inspiration. It rides out the variations of energy and focus caused by ordinary ups and downs of life.

What obstacles are you facing when trying to create it?

I am all ears.