Michelle Sherbun came to her career first as a vocalist and an actor. And while she no longer performs, the listening and improv skills she honed on stage became the foundation for the leadership coaching she does today.
When was the last time you walked your banana to work, only to walk it back home? Think about it. It is a treat for midday, healthy food, a chance to stop, carefully peel, and enjoy the sweetness. You set an intention to eat that banana, but the day got in the way. I do not know about you, but this scenario is all too familiar to me. By the way, the key word here is not the banana but intention.
Please hang in here with me and find comfort in the idea of a banana as a way to explore your own thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Why? Believe it or not, walking your banana to work really is all about the intention that drives happiness and fulfillment.
A banana is more than a banana
In this story, the banana symbolizes the future we work to create through intention. The act of deliberately eating that banana speaks to caring for oneself. It represents a moment when you step back, observe the day, take a breath, gain perspective, and restore the energy required to move forward. It literally becomes a tool for the art of reflection, a moment in time when we pay attention to how we are feeling and navigating the day.
Setting an intention is a choice. Interestingly, philosophers and social psychologists do not always believe it is a conscious choice, but nevertheless, it is a choice. That is because intention is ever present in the values that guide our everyday lives. What we think reveals itself in what we choose to do, how we choose to show up, and how our beliefs guide our actions.
Remember, we become what we think.
Intention + action = Clarity and true inspiration
Check in on your intentions by exploring questions that can bring clarity and inspiration to your actions. Actions that inspire us are potent motivators. They provide space for creativity and innovation; they fuel risk-taking for the sake of learning, new ideas, and personal and professional growth, steering us toward a more purpose-driven life. One simple intent can actually do all this. Remarkable!
Questions to consider
What is my intended outcome? What do I want to see happen?
What is driving that intention? Is it me-focused or other-focused?
What actions will make the most difference—to me? To others?
Am I choosing actions that support that intent?
Are my choices intentional?
How are my values and beliefs reflected in this intention?
If my actions do not support that intent, how am I undermining myself?
What is risked if I do not fulfill this intention?
What is gained if I do fulfill this intention?
How might enhancing my focus on intention contribute to my ability to manage my energy each day?
How does acting on my intentions feel? (Think about how it might motivate you, help you clarify how your interactions impact your colleagues, and fulfill an intention that will inspire you and contribute to your overall happiness.)
What am I willing to abandon to be inspired?
How might it transform me and others?
What am I willing to explore that allows me to work from a place of strength?
How does this intent ignite the doer and dreamer in me?
How might my intent ignite the doers and dreamers in my life?
How might my intent set me free to see the situation or the world a little differently?
It is the little things we do that matter. Intentional moments feed our souls, captivate our imaginations, and sow the focus and energy to move forward. The next time you walk your banana to work, take the time to appreciate it as a moment of choice. And please, do not walk it back home. You will thank yourself.
“Attention energizes, and intention transforms. Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life. Whatever you take your attention away from will wither, disintegrate, and disappear. Intention, on the other hand, triggers transformation of energy and information. Intention organizes its own fulfillment.” – Deepak Chopra
Michelle M Sherbun, Executive Leadership Coach
Michelle Sherbun came to her career first as a vocalist and an actor. And while she no longer performs, the listening and improv skills she honed on stage became the foundation for the leadership coaching she does today. Whether partnering with an individual leader or working with a nonprofit or business team, she taps and nurtures their courage, curiosity, and creativity to create the possible. Her favorite question: WHY?
