The Voice of Impact, August 2022

“Although actions may speak louder than words, it is our intentions that reveal our soul.”  

-Hal Elrod 

Intention – The Soul of Purpose 

 Purpose in Life (PIL) is a popular focus for research, but in truth it has been of interest to philosophers, physicians, and scientists for hundreds of years. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, who spent three years as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, observed in his seminal book, Man’s Search for Meaning, “The brain has a relentless obsession with extracting meaning from everything.”  

Using techniques such as brain imaging and EEG, scientists and researchers have discovered that this quest for meaning can be found in all kinds of people regardless of status, education, or geography. In our work at Vocal Impact, we have found that purpose, or Intention, is paramount in creating powerful communication ¬– that “the why” makes a difference for both the communicator and the audience. 

Intention is often defined as an “aim that guides action.” With aim, there is an effort directed toward attaining something. Therefore, Intention goes a step further than Purpose and has the power to change our communication – it’s like a plan to achieve our purpose and when executed against it produces results. We have found that when people become clear on their Intention, they find a more authentic place from which to speak and their ability to connect with others improves. As one of our clients stated, “BUT THE REAL AHA MOMENT WAS THE FIRST PRACTICING OF THE INTENT, WHERE I COULD ACTUALLY TELL THE DIFFERENCE IN ENERGY AND ENGAGEMENT WHEN I PRACTICED THAT TECHNIQUE BEFORE PRESENTATION THAN WHEN I DIDN’T.”   

 Excerpted from our eBook, Transformative Communication, free to download here 

 Visit our blog to learn more about working with Intention. Or reach out to us on LI to learn more about our coaching and workshop services. 

Thanks for reading!

Kate Peters, Founder and Managing Partner, Vocal Impact, Inc

What I am thinking about

“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

What I am reading

You Have More Influence Than You Think, by Vanessa Bohns

What I am listening to

Beautiful, haunting sounds recorded last August, at the Acropolis in Athens. Brian Eno (along with brother Roger, Cecily Eno, Leo Abrahams, and Peter Chilvers) perform "There Were Bells," a track from his forthcoming album, FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE. 

Suggestion from the VIP Team

Melanie - The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield 

This book became a touchstone for me since I first read it in 2002. It helped me to recognize creative blocks and battles and by asking great questions, tap into the creative process in a fresh way with a lot of tough love.