August 19, 2001
I’ve been thinking a lot about intent lately. I’m the sort that always believed it was the end result that mattered; it didn’t mean anything if you intended to write an article but you didn’t. But I’m starting to believe that intention matters just a little – at least true intention. Not the kind where you were just plain cruel to someone and then when you realise how much you’ve hurt them you use the excuse, “Well, it was just my intention to give you some feedback.” True intention is sometimes harder to realise.
I think about what my intention for this site was: to get a simply message out. That message being that an ordinary girl, who has no degree, no special education or training, can become something she wants to be, even if it’s completely different than something she ever was. She could be anything as long as she wanted it, and she tried.
I never made this site with the intention of becoming famous, or showing off. I never made it with the intention to have a platform on which to bitch and moan without purpose. I just wanted to show people that dreams aren’t something for other people to have. And although this site is being written about a lot, and I garner some attention once in awhile, the intention of this site is living loudly and clearly and making its mark. To me, that’s perfect.
I’ve had more emails than I can count from people of various ages, backgrounds, sexes, and countries, telling me how this site has helped them. Not one person ever wanted to emulate me or be me. They never wanted to do exactly what I’m doing. What this site did, was give them strength to be them.
The end result followed the intention. And that’s what success is, I think.