Hi ,

A friend told me a story about a new hire at his company. Let’s call him Tunde.

Tunde was eager to impress. He stayed late, took on extra work, and always looked for ways to go above and beyond. His intention was clear—he wanted to be seen as valuable.

One day, he noticed his boss struggling with a task. Trying to be helpful, he jumped in, made a few adjustments, and submitted the work on her behalf.

But instead of praise, he got silence. Then a tense meeting. Then a warning.

Turns out, his action—though well-meaning—undermined his boss. She wasn’t struggling; she was refining the work. And his interference made her look bad in front of senior leadership.

The effect? His reputation took a hit. Not because he had bad intentions, but because he didn’t fully consider the consequences of his actions.

The Balance We Often Miss

We judge ourselves by our intentions, but the world judges us by our actions and their effects.

• You may intend to be helpful, but if your actions aren’t aligned, you might come off as overstepping.
• You may intend to be supportive, but if your words are careless, they might cause harm.
• You may intend to be productive, but if you don’t pace yourself, burnout is inevitable.

Good intentions are a great starting point, but they don’t excuse poor execution or unexpected outcomes.

What Can You Actually Control?

✅ Be intentional about your actions. Before acting, ask: Is this the best way to achieve my goal?

✅ Think beyond yourself. Consider how your actions might be perceived by others.

✅ Own the outcomes. If things don’t go as planned, adjust instead of getting defensive.

At the end of the day, life isn’t just about meaning well—it’s about doing well and ensuring the impact matches the intention.

So, before your next big move, ask yourself:

👉 Are my intentions clear?

👉 Are my actions aligned with those intentions?

👉 Have I considered all possible effects?

Because what we mean to do matters. But what we actually do—and what happens because of it—matters even more.

Till next time,

Oluwadarasimi