We all full of good intentions. I think most of us want the best for our kids, our partners, our friends, etc. We are often eager to see positive changes in others, especially loved ones. We want them to grow and become more understanding. We want them to understand us. I don’t doubt that a mother wants the best for her son or daughter. She would do everything to provide and nurture with good intentions. So it’s probably safe to say good intentions are everywhere. But does having good intentions really lead to the best results? Probably not.
Why does having good intentions lead to bad outcomes? Well, let me be clear, having good intentions is definitely a good thing. Good intentions are good intentions, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. The problem lies in expectation, a kind of hidden agenda. We all know paying compliments makes people happy. We prefer praise over criticism. But if giving compliments is just a means to getting something, it’s a completely different thing. Flattery may bring you short term benefits, but in the long run people will see through your insincerity.
You’ve probably heard of the saying, ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’. This is a famous proverb. Lao Tzu also spoke about non-intention. I would translate non-intention as acting without expecting a particular outcome. No matter how well the intention is, excessive eagerness towards a particular outcome is bound to yield bad results. You’ve probably heard this from someone or experienced this yourself, when you desperately pursue or desire something with a lot of expectation and intention (and if you don’t get it it would feel like it’s the end of the world), whatever you are pursuing will actually be further out of reach. In other words, the opposite will likely happen.
This is because when we act out of desperation, the energy we give out is a negative one. It actually reflects our lack and unease. From a law of attraction point of view, it’s not a state we want to be in. When we perform good deeds, we should pay attention to our inner state. Is it out of joy and ease or is it out of desperation and expectation. We should do them without wanting anything in return. Ironically, we may actually get something good in return as a bonus.