Intentions or results: What matters more?
In defence of both positions in the age-old debate
What matters more to you? Results? Or intentions? When I posed the question to my Instagram followers, the vast majority (73%) of the 55 people who took part in the poll said that intentions matter more than results. I also got a lot of interesting responses when I asked people to explain their stance. The nuance that was brought to the discussion was refreshing. Life truly isn’t black and white.
In defence of the importance of intentions, Abu Bakr said that intentions count in your actions. The defenders of intentions over results argued that intentions can shift and change as the situation progresses, likely in adaptation to the results. In fact, there can be no results without intentions. If no one intended to do anything, how much would get done?
“No matter the results, at least the intention was there,” said one proponent, “and that intention cannot be ignored.” After all, few things are in our control as mortals on this lonely rock. In fact, we can only, with discipline and maturity, have true control over our minds. The results of your actions are unpredictable and cannot be planned with 100% certainty. Therefore, your focus should be on what can be controlled: your intentions.
Your focus should be on what can be controlled: your intentions.
NBC’s The Good Place explores the concept of intention over results quite well. The main characters face the moral dilemma as they traverse through the current and afterlife. I don’t want to spoil the show too much, but you should definitely check it out if this debate interests you.
In defence of the importance of results, Niccolò Machiavelli is often misquoted as saying that the ends justify the means. Upon further research, I discovered that Machiavelli actually said, “For although the act condemns the doer, the end may justify him.” That quote paints a radically different picture than the “any means are magically justified by ends” stance that people assume he had.
The result may sometimes justify your actions, but not always. The results often teach you, especially when you fail, that your intentions are not enough. No matter how good your intentions may be, they can still lead to negative results. While negative results may be outside of your control, it can be argued that the results override the intentions. If you didn’t intend to cause harm, but harm was caused as a result of your actions, the intent is neutered.
The results often teach you, especially when you fail, that your intentions are not enough.
One of my friend’s responses shows a fresh interpretation of the question. She argued that following through and getting results mattered more than intentions. Her stance also supports the result over intent perspective, but in a different way. I believe she’s looking at it from a life goals perspective. No matter how much you might want something, unless you work towards it and achieve it, your intent is null.
Before I heard everyone's perspectives, I believed that results mattered more than intent. Of course, I recognise a great deal of grey area now, but I maintain the same perspective. Your intention can’t be ignored and there’s a lot you can’t control, but results are concrete and have an effect on far more people than mere intent.
I believe that people’s positions may change depending on the subject. Usually, people are more forgiving of themselves. They’re more likely to defend their intent over their results. However, when dealing with others, people are more likely to argue that their results matter more than their intent. A Harvard study found that when choosing to punish or reward accidental behaviour, individuals tend to focus on the outcome, rather than a person’s intent.
But what was left out of this binary discussion was the importance of methodology. It hadn’t occurred to me when I posed the question, but one of my friends brought it up in her response. There are many ways to execute your intent, and what you choose to do, according to her, is most important. Your actions during the situation affect both your intent and your result. Your intent informs your actions which inform your intent, and so the cycle goes. Additionally, your actions are shaped by their results. Therefore, your methods should be viewed as the most critical.
What’s your stance? Share your perspective in the comments.
You can follow Saint Andrew on Twitter @_saintdrew.
