How often have you been in situations where others have pointed to their intentions as a form of consolation for whatever those intentions led to? Perhaps the extent to which one’s intentions should be considered is determined by the outcomes they produce.
Over the course of my life, I have had several interactions with people that have led to all kinds of outcomes, many desirable and others not so much. In many cases where the outcome was undesirable, it was common for the person mainly responsible to point to their intentions as a form of consolation or as a way to soften the perception of the impact of the outcome by the one affected. Often, this comes from a place of sincerity, and the explanation is usually reasonable given the context. I imagine this might resonate with you as well.
Sometimes, however, the undesired outcome happens so consistently that you cannot help but wonder whether intentions mean anything at all. How many undesirable outcomes are enough for one’s intentions to be perceived as meaningless? Zero, one, two, or an infinite number?
This is not about whose intentions, nor about the actions that ensue from them and lead to the outcomes that follow. Rather, it is about the point beyond which our intentions become nothing more than sentimental platitudes. Generally, outcomes are a good representation of the intentions and actions that precede them. It is therefore not unreasonable to think that bad outcomes are usually the result of bad actions, bad intentions, or the lack of both. In the end, that distinction may not matter. It is a good case of a distinction without a difference.
Our intentions are meaningless and unimportant if the outcomes they lead to are undesirable. Perhaps it is time to pause and reconsider whether our intentions are truly well‑intended, or whether they are, at best, lacking in substance or, at worst, poisoned. If you perceive this as an attack on your person, consider instead the possibility that if your so‑called well‑intended actions consistently lead to outcomes that invite scrutiny of your intentions and of who you are as a person, then there may indeed be something worth working on.
Either way, this is neither about your intentions nor about how you feel about the scrutiny. It is about outcomes, because at the end of the day, that is the only thing that matters. Outcomes may certainly be influenced by factors beyond initial intentions, but in situations where that is not the case, outcomes are a reflection of the intentions and actions that precede them. Maybe, just maybe, the extent to which one’s intentions should be considered is determined by the outcomes they produce.
Chronicles of Yimnai
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