Create with Purpose, Live with Intention

“the plan gives us direction, but execution gives us results”

Parashat Bereishit begins with one of the most powerful statements in the Torah: “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth.” When we think about creation, we often think about the finished product. But when we look carefully at the story, we see that creation happened through a process.

There was order and there was purpose. There was a progression from one stage to the next.

This connects very well with an idea presented in Resolved: 13 Resolutions for Life by Orrin Woodward; the importance of having a plan for our lives and then executing that plan. Many of us have dreams and goals. We may want to have a better marriage, improve our finances, become healthier, grow spiritually, build a successful business, or simply become a better person. But having a goal is only the beginning.

The question is: What is the plan? A goal tells us where we want to go. A plan tells us how we are going to get there. When we look at the creation story, we see that HaShem did not create everything at once. Creation unfolded step by step. Each day had a purpose, and each stage prepared the way for the next stage.

There is a lesson here for us. Sometimes we become frustrated because we want to see the finished product immediately. We want to reach our goal today. But real success usually doesn't happen that way. It is built through a series of steps. We need to identify what we want, develop a plan, and then execute that plan one step at a time.

But having a plan is not enough. We have to execute it. I can have the best plan in the world, but if I don't take action, nothing will change. I can write down my goals, talk about my dreams, read books, listen to podcasts, and attend seminars, but eventually I have to take that first step.

This is one of the lessons I see in Bereishit. Creation was not just an idea. It was action. There is a difference between intention and execution. We can intend to become healthier, but we have to change what we eat and how we exercise. We can intend to improve our marriage, but we have to change the way we communicate with our spouse. We can intend to become financially successful, but we have to create a budget, control our spending, and make better financial decisions. The plan gives us direction, but execution gives us results.

 Another important lesson from Bereishit is that the process takes time. Each stage of creation had its own purpose. We should not expect everything in our lives to change overnight.

Sometimes we need to focus on today's step rather than worrying about the entire journey. What is the next step I need to take? That is a question I can ask myself every day. 

If I have a big goal, I can break it down into smaller goals. Then I can break those goals down into specific actions. Instead of simply saying, “I want to be successful,” I need to define what success means to me and determine what I need to do to move in that direction.

Bereishit teaches us that creation has order and purpose. Resolved reminds us that our lives also need direction and intentionality. We were created with the ability to make choices. We have the ability to set goals, make plans, take action, learn from our mistakes, and make adjustments along the way. We don't have to create our entire future in one day. We simply need to create today.

If I have a vision for the person I want to become and the life I want to live, I need to develop a plan that will take me there. Then I need to execute that plan consistently. Dreaming gives me the vision. Planning gives me the direction. Execution turns the vision into reality.

As we begin the Torah again with Parashat Bereishit, perhaps this is one of the messages we can take with us: Don't just think about the life you want. Create a plan for it, and then take action. Just as creation unfolded one step at a time, we can build our lives one decision, one action, and one day at a time.