Intentionality

Intentionality Plot Summary

Introduction

I sat in my office, staring at the wall where my achievements hung in gilded frames—the business success, the home in a prestigious neighborhood, the marriage that had seemed so perfect on paper. Yet inside, I felt hollow. The life I had meticulously crafted, the one I believed was my intentional life, had imploded. My marriage was over, my business partnership had soured, and the dream I had worked so hard to build had become a nightmare. I found myself asking a question that would change everything: "I don't want to feel like this again." Notice I didn't say "think this way"—I said "feel this way." That distinction would become the cornerstone of my transformation. This story mirrors the journey that awaits in these pages—a path from survival mode to intentional living. We've all been conditioned to chase outcomes rather than feelings, to measure success by external markers rather than internal peace. But what if there was another way? What if the key to a fulfilled life isn't in asking "What do I want?" but rather "How do I want to feel?" This fundamental shift in perspective opens doors to a new understanding of intentionality, one that merges scientific principles with spiritual wisdom. Through these pages, you'll discover that you were born with all the tools you need to build the life you're searching for, that what you truly seek is a feeling, and that you always have a choice in how you respond to life's circumstances.

Chapter 1: The Breathable Body: Your First Tool for Transformation

The gentle rhythm of waves crashed against the shoreline as I stood with my feet firmly planted in the wet sand. I closed my eyes and focused on my breath—inhaling the salty air deep into my lungs and slowly exhaling through my mouth. This simple act of conscious breathing was grounding me in the present moment, connecting me to something much larger than myself. It reminded me that I was part of a vast interconnected system, one that reveals more about our similarities than our differences. In spiritual traditions across cultures and throughout history, breath has been revered as the great connector—the one element that links all living beings. In Sanskrit, the word for breath, "prana," is the same word used for life force. In the Bible, God "breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life." The Quran speaks of Allah breathing his spirit into humans. These aren't coincidences—they're acknowledgments of a universal truth: breath is where life begins and ends. This understanding of breath as our life force isn't just spiritual poetry—it's backed by science. Our breath is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, controlling automatic processes like heart rate and blood pressure. But unlike other autonomic functions, breathing is unique because we can consciously control it. This makes it a bridge between our unconscious and conscious minds, between what happens automatically within us and what we can intentionally influence. When I guide clients through their first breath circuit breaker—what I call the Heart Coherence Breath—they often experience an immediate shift. They report feeling more centered, more present, and more capable of responding rather than reacting to life's challenges. The exercise is simple: inhale for five seconds, exhale for five seconds, and focus on bringing feelings of appreciation and gratitude into your heart center. Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that this type of breathing creates coherence between the heart and brain, optimizing our physiological state. What makes breath so powerful as a tool for transformation is its accessibility. We don't need special equipment, training, or environments to practice intentional breathing. It's always with us, offering over 20,000 opportunities each day to reset our nervous system, shift our energy, and choose how we want to feel. When we consciously engage with our breath, we're not just taking in oxygen—we're activating our innate technology for transformation. In many ways, breath is the perfect metaphor for intentionality itself. Just as we can move from unconscious to conscious breathing, we can transition from unconscious living to intentional living. We can shift from survival mode—where we're constantly reacting to our environment—to a state of presence where we're creating our experience through conscious choice. And it all begins with that first intentional breath—the one that reminds us we're alive, connected, and capable of change.

Chapter 2: When Thoughts Become Traps: Breaking Free from Negative Belief Loops

I remember watching an old Ed Sullivan Show clip featuring Erich Brenn, a plate spinner who captivated audiences in the 1950s and '60s. He would set plates spinning atop thin poles, rushing from one to another to keep them all in motion. The audience held their breath, wondering if he could keep everything balanced or if the plates would come crashing down. Years later, I realized this performance was the perfect metaphor for how negative belief loops operate in our minds—a constant, exhausting effort to keep multiple destructive patterns spinning simultaneously. One client of mine, a CEO of a large marketing company I'll call Sam, was caught in precisely this kind of spinning act. On the surface, he appeared successful and in control, but beneath that veneer, he was consumed by an all-or-nothing pattern with food and fitness. If he ate poorly at breakfast, he'd decide the entire day was ruined and abandon any healthy choices. "I might as well go off the rails completely and start fresh tomorrow," he'd tell himself. Each night ended in shame, self-criticism, and rumination about what he could have done differently. This wasn't just about food—it was about a core negative belief that he was fundamentally a disappointment. This pattern is what I call a negative belief loop—a circular rotation of beliefs, thoughts, behaviors, and feelings that undermine our potential. These loops are deeply embedded in our subconscious mind, often formed before we developed conscious awareness. As a child, Sam had been consistently criticized by his father, who held impossibly high standards. Any mistake was met with disapproval rather than guidance. Over time, these experiences created a powerful negative belief loop: "I am a disappointment" → "I can't do anything right" → self-sabotaging behaviors → feelings of shame and inadequacy → reinforcement of the belief "I am a disappointment." The ego plays a crucial role in maintaining these loops. It operates on one core negative belief: "I am not enough." Other variations include "I am not worthy," "I am not lovable," and "I am not seen." The ego thrives on being "right," and to be right, others must be wrong. This drives defensiveness, blaming, and self-justification. Most importantly, the ego fears change. It exists in the known, regardless of whether that known state is one of thriving or merely surviving. Breaking free from these loops requires identifying how you want to feel instead. With Sam, we explored his desired feelings: empowered, free, and proud. We created a positive belief loop starting with "I am already perfect as I am." This shifted his thoughts to "I'm fueling my body with what it needs" and "I love and respect my body." His behaviors changed to include short walks throughout the day and journaling about healthy eating habits. The result? He began feeling genuinely proud and empowered. This transformation illustrates an essential truth about intentionality: once you realize you're the master of your mind and the architect of your reality, you have both the responsibility to recode yourself and the opportunity to build the life you've been searching for. Your thoughts don't have to be traps—they can be launching pads for a more intentional way of being in the world.

Chapter 3: The Science of Feeling: Why Emotions Precede Outcomes

I was sitting across from Sarah, a brilliant executive who had just been promoted to lead a major division in her company. Despite this achievement, she appeared withdrawn and disconnected. "I should be thrilled," she confessed, "but I feel nothing. I've been chasing this promotion for years, telling myself that when I finally got it, I'd be happy. Now I'm here, and I'm just... empty." Sarah was experiencing what Harvard psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar calls the "arrival fallacy"—the illusion that once we attain our goal or reach our destination, we will achieve lasting happiness. Sarah's story reflects a fundamental misunderstanding that plagues our achievement-oriented culture. We've been programmed to believe that outcomes precede feelings—that when we accomplish something, we'll feel fulfilled. But neuroscience tells a different story. Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that the heart actually sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. Our emotions aren't just reactions to experiences; they're primary drivers of our experiences, influencing how we perceive and interact with the world. This insight is transformative when we apply it to how we design our lives. Instead of structuring our goals and actions around outcomes, we can organize them around desired feelings. When I asked Sarah how she wanted to feel in her leadership role, she identified three core emotions: connected, creative, and purposeful. This shift in focus—from what she wanted to achieve to how she wanted to feel—provided a completely different framework for making decisions. The science behind this approach is compelling. Neurobiologist Candace Pert discovered that emotions are not just psychological experiences but physical ones. Neuropeptides—the molecules of emotion—flow through our bodies, connecting our organs, immune system, and brain in a network of feeling. When we prioritize our desired feelings, we're actually creating a biological environment that supports our wellbeing and enhances our performance. Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett's research further illuminates this connection. Her work shows that emotions aren't reactions to external events but constructions of our brain based on physical sensations, past experiences, and cultural context. This means we have more agency over our emotional lives than we might think. By consciously choosing to focus on feelings rather than outcomes, we can actually rewire our emotional circuitry. For Sarah, this reframing led to concrete changes in how she approached her new role. Instead of focusing solely on quarterly targets, she prioritized team connections, creative problem-solving sessions, and projects that aligned with her sense of purpose. The result wasn't just greater satisfaction—her team's performance improved as well. By prioritizing feelings over outcomes, she created an environment where both she and her team could thrive. This science of feeling offers a profound invitation: to recognize that the destination was never the point. It's how we feel along the journey that creates a life worth living. When we make this shift, we discover that feelings aren't just the reward for achievement—they're the fuel that makes achievement possible and meaningful.

Chapter 4: Discipline versus Rigidity: The Balancing Act of Personal Growth

The military barracks echoed with the drill sergeant's voice as he demanded perfection from our squad. "Do it again!" he barked when a single line fell out of formation. We repeated the drill until every movement was flawless, our bodies mechanically performing without thought or feeling. Years later, as I transitioned from military life to civilian entrepreneurship, I carried this rigid mindset with me. If I couldn't complete a workout perfectly, I wouldn't do it at all. If a business plan couldn't be executed exactly as designed, I considered it a failure. This all-or-nothing thinking wasn't discipline—it was rigidity masquerading as discipline. This distinction between discipline and rigidity became clear when I began working with Michael, a talented artist struggling to complete his first gallery collection. Every time we met, he shared elaborate visions for his work, but his canvases remained largely blank. "I need to wait for the perfect inspiration," he explained. "If I can't create something revolutionary, what's the point?" Meanwhile, deadlines approached, opportunities passed, and his anxiety mounted. Michael wasn't practicing discipline—he was trapped in rigidity. True discipline, I've discovered, is fundamentally different from rigidity. Rigidity is fear-based, perfectionist, and punishment-oriented. It's binary thinking that says either do it perfectly or don't do it at all. Discipline, by contrast, is love-based, progress-oriented, and compassionate. It recognizes that growth happens incrementally, through consistent small actions rather than occasional heroic efforts. The difference often stems from our childhood experiences. I grew up in a household where discipline meant punishment—wooden spoons in Christmas stockings as "jokes" about behaving, threats of physical consequences for mistakes. This created a subconscious association between discipline and fear. Many of us carry similar associations, leading us to either avoid discipline entirely or embrace a rigid, punitive version that ultimately sabotages our growth. With Michael, we worked to reframe discipline as an act of self-love rather than self-punishment. Instead of waiting for perfect inspiration, he committed to spending 30 minutes each day with his canvases—sometimes just mixing colors or making background strokes. This consistent practice, free from the pressure of creating masterpieces, gradually built his creative confidence. Six months later, his collection was complete, with work that evolved organically through the disciplined practice of showing up. This balance between discipline and rigidity applies to all areas of intentional living. In health, it means recognizing that a 20-minute walk still benefits your body, even if you'd planned an hour workout. In relationships, it means continuing to communicate even when conversations don't go as planned. In work, it means valuing progress over perfection. The most profound transformation happens in this middle ground—where we're consistently moving toward our desired feelings without demanding flawless execution. This is where discipline becomes not a harsh taskmaster but a compassionate guide, leading us toward the life we truly want to live.

Chapter 5: Energy Interventions: Radical Approaches for Stubborn Patterns

The cold water of Lake Tahoe shocked my system as I waded in alongside my partner. Snow was falling gently around us, creating a surreal backdrop for what might seem like madness to others. Just an hour earlier, she had been trapped in a negative spiral of emotions, feeling victimized by circumstances and unable to break free from her anger. When she admitted she would "do anything" to stop feeling that way, I had suggested this cold plunge—an energy intervention that would physically jolt her system into a new state. As we emerged from the frigid water after about two and a half minutes, the transformation was remarkable. Her body language had completely shifted—relaxed, open, even playful. The extreme temperature had catalyzed a physiological change that interrupted her negative thought patterns and created space for a new emotional experience. This is the power of an energy intervention—a deliberate, often intense experience designed to rapidly shift your energetic state when repetition alone isn't enough. Energy interventions become necessary when we encounter stubborn patterns that resist gradual change. Think of it like cleaning your teeth. Daily brushing and flossing (repetition) maintain oral health, but occasionally you need a deep professional cleaning (intervention) to address issues that regular maintenance can't handle. Similarly, while daily practices build positive belief loops over time, energy interventions provide immediate, powerful resets when negative patterns have become entrenched. These interventions take many forms, each offering unique benefits. Breathwork sessions—like the transformative breath journey I led on a beach in Panama—can release trauma stored in the body through altered breathing patterns. During one such session, a woman who had experienced a late-stage miscarriage was able to process her grief and reconnect with her partner in ways that months of talking had not achieved. Extreme temperatures—whether through cold plunges, saunas, or the temazcal ceremonies of Mesoamerican tradition—leverage physiological responses to create psychological shifts. Sound journeys use vibration and frequency to realign energy and open channels for insight, as happened when my partner and I experienced a profound reconnection during a sound healing session in Sedona. Even pilgrimages serve as energy interventions. After my divorce, walking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago across Spain wasn't just physical exercise—it was a complete system reset. The prolonged disconnect from normal life, combined with physical exertion and the energy of millions who had walked the path before me, created space for deep healing and clarity that couldn't have happened in my regular environment. What makes these experiences so powerful is their ability to bypass the thinking mind and directly address the energy patterns in our system. When we're stuck in negative loops, our conscious mind often can't think its way out—we need experiences that operate at a different level, creating shifts we can feel rather than intellectualize. The beauty of energy interventions lies in their accessibility. While some require travel or special environments, many—like breathwork, cold showers, or sound healing—can be incorporated into everyday life. They remind us that transformation doesn't always need to be gradual; sometimes, the fastest path to change is through experiences that radically alter our energy in the moment.

Chapter 6: The Three C's: Scientific Manifestation for Intentional Living

I stood at the entrance of the Mexico City consulate, heart pounding as I prepared to submit my visa application. For over two years, I had been effectively stateless—unable to return to Australia due to pandemic restrictions and unable to secure a work visa for the United States. My career, relationships, and sense of security hung in the balance. After months of stress and failed attempts through conventional channels, I had turned to what I call scientific manifestation—a process that combines quantum physics principles with intentional energy work. The process began with the first C: Clarify. I defined exactly what I wanted—a specific type of visa that would allow me to work legally in the U.S.—and identified the feelings this would create: freedom, celebration, and awe. I crafted a detailed mental scene where I left the consulate, called my partner on FaceTime, and proudly proclaimed, "Got the visa!" while she responded, "I knew it!" with shared joy and relief. The second C, Conceive, involved impressing this reality onto my subconscious mind. Each night before sleep, when my brain naturally shifted into theta state—the drowsy zone between wakefulness and sleep where the subconscious is most receptive—I would visualize my scene in vivid detail. I wasn't just watching it; I was living it, feeling the emotions, hearing the sounds, seeing the expressions. This wasn't wishful thinking but a deliberate process of seeding a new reality in the quantum field. The third C, Claim, meant living as though the manifestation was already complete. I began taking inspired actions that aligned with having the visa—organizing my financial documents, researching next steps, and most importantly, changing my energy around the situation. When I realized my negative relationship with my attorneys might be blocking progress, I initiated a heart-to-heart conversation that cleared the air. The very next day, I received an email from the consulate offering an immediate interview slot—something that hadn't been available for years. This process isn't magical thinking; it's grounded in quantum physics principles that Einstein himself acknowledged: "Everything is energy. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics." At the quantum level, everything exists as probability waves until observed or engaged with consciousness. Scientific manifestation works with this principle, collapsing probability waves into the reality we desire through focused attention and emotional alignment. The science behind this approach is fascinating. Research in neuroplasticity shows that visualizing an outcome activates the same neural pathways as actually experiencing it. Studies on heart coherence demonstrate that positive emotional states create measurable changes in our electromagnetic field, potentially influencing the fields around us. Even the placebo effect—where belief alone creates physiological changes—points to the power of consciousness in shaping our reality. What makes scientific manifestation truly effective is that it operates at the intersection of science and spirituality, acknowledging both the quantum nature of reality and the transformative power of consciousness. It's not about bypassing action but about aligning our inner state with our desired outcomes so that our actions flow naturally from that alignment. As I eventually held my approved visa—exactly as I had visualized—I realized that scientific manifestation wasn't separate from intentionality; it was the culmination of all the tools and practices I had developed. By clarifying our desires, conceiving them in our consciousness, and claiming them through aligned action, we become active participants in creating our reality rather than passive recipients of circumstance.

Summary

Throughout these pages, we've traveled from the fundamental power of breath to the quantum mechanics of manifestation, exploring how each element of intentionality works together to create profound transformation. What ties this journey together is a revolutionary understanding: life isn't about chasing outcomes and hoping feelings will follow; it's about identifying desired feelings first and allowing those feelings to guide our paths. This feelings-first approach isn't just philosophical—it's neurobiological, affecting everything from heart coherence to stress hormones to our electromagnetic field. The invitation of intentionality is radical in its simplicity: pause, breathe, and ask yourself how you want to feel. Then build your life around that truth. Break free from negative belief loops by creating positive alternatives. Choose discipline over rigidity, presence over comparison, love over fear. When necessary, use energy interventions to reset stubborn patterns. And finally, align your consciousness with your desires through the three C's of scientific manifestation. These aren't separate techniques but interconnected aspects of the same powerful approach to living. The journey begins with a single intentional breath and expands into every dimension of existence, transforming not just what you do but who you become. You are, as you have always been, just one breath away from the life you truly desire.

About Author

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Finnian Kelly

A sought-after speaker and high performance coach, Finnian Kelly offers a fresh perspective to ancient wisdom by implementing his Intentionality® methodology as the trusted advisor for world-changing leaders. As a multi-time successful entrepreneur and a retired Officer in the Australian military, Finnian has gone on to coach the CEOs and leadership teams of more than 150 companies. He has been dubbed "the Business Mystic'' because of his unique ability to awaken consciousness in business and inspire leaders to find new levels of meaning and purpose in their creative endeavors, relationships and overall well being. As the founder of Intentionality, Inc., and leading breathwork facilitator around the world, Finnian gives you the transformative tools and frameworks to have an expansive human experience.

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