Ep. #137 Intensity Comes After Intentionality Not Impulsivity

by Marci Barker / July 22nd, 2025

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Intensity Comes After Intentionality Not Impulsivity

Intensity Comes After Intentionality

Not Impulsivity

In this episode of Your Loving Kick in the Pants, I shared some thoughts that came to me after attending a BNI business meeting and listening to a podcast during my drive home. I reflected on the difference between acting with intensity and acting with intentionality, especially when it comes to making decisions in business and life. I talked about how easy it is to get excited and jump into things quickly (like I did years ago with Mary Kay), but how much more powerful it is when we pause, plan, and make decisions based on purpose and clarity.

I opened up about past experiences where I made impulsive choices just because someone else planted the idea, and I shared how much I’ve grown by shifting toward intentional living. I also discussed key steps from my book Becoming Boss Minded, like defining your values, staying focused on results, and testing one thing at a time. The main message? It’s okay to be intense, but only after you’ve gotten clear on your direction. When intensity is backed by intention (not impulse), that’s when real success happens.

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Topics Covered in the Episode:

Visiting a BNI business group and choosing to join

Understanding the difference between intensity and intentionality

How acting on impulse can lead to burnout or regret

A personal story of impulsively joining and selling Mary Kay

Lessons learned from impulsive business decisions about sales and self-awareness

The downside of competitive, performance-based environments

How writing The Accountability Code and Becoming Boss Minded shifted my mindset

Steps to innovate without losing focus, shared from my book

The importance of slowly evaluating new ideas to prevent burnout and grow wisely

The power of accountability and staying honest with your personal and business goals

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