Right now I am exploring what Carl Jung called “synchronicity,” or the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.
You know the sensation. One moment you are thinking of a friend, and then all of a sudden your cell phone rings and there she is. According to Jung (and many who followed him) synchronous circumstances while not related through casualty, are connected by intuition, meaning, or purpose.
It is the latter two connections (meaning and purpose) that I am focused on this week. Deepak Chopra describes the link between the intentions we set and what shows up in our lives as “synchrodestiny.” Let me be clear: setting an intention and noticing what’s happening is not the same as causing events to happen. It is much looser than that. Even when we live our lives on purpose (or with intention), many circumstances appear to manifest that appear beyond our control or creation. Some of these seem fortunate, and others unfortunate. They are all grist for the mill of life. On the other hand, when cause events to happen it is usually by making choices and declarations for ourselves, as well as commitments, promises, and requests with others.
As professionals and leaders in the nonprofit world, it is essential that we navigate our work with a heightened awareness of purpose. As Wayne Dyer (a student of Jung) said: “our intention creates our reality.”
What I find helpful is to set an intention on Sunday for the coming week, and then remind myself of that intention each morning as the week unfolds. Currently, my intention is to “be generous by sharing myself with at least one person every day.” This post is one manifestation of that intention. I’ve also had discussions with some nonprofit leaders this week where I’ve shared something I believe would be helpful to them.
I encourage you to adopt the practice of setting a weekly or daily intention and then be aware how synchronicity supports you and what you’re up to.
David Langiulli is a certified professional coach who helps nonprofit leaders flourish and thrive. He is also the author of The Essential Leadership Guide for Fundraising Professionals. Grab your FREE copy now by becoming a member at www.FundraisingLeadership.org.