I have «The Power of Intention» tattooed on my wrist. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure if that’s what it actually says, I used Google Translate and had it written in Japanese because I thought it looked much more beautiful. Aesthetics matter. But that’s not the point. What truly matters is the intention behind it.
The idea is simple: every time I face an important moment in my life, whether it’s a crucial meeting, a difficult conversation with someone I love, or any situation that makes me nervous, I look at it. And I tell myself: everything is going to be okay. And magically, it turns out well.
Or maybe not so magically. Maybe we often fail to give things the attention they deserve. If you want to do something well, you have to focus, concentrate, call it what you will. Without that, it’s impossible. Things don’t just happen by chance.
A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined speaking in front of 2,000 people in a basketball arena. Funny enough, it happened in a place where I had spent so many days enjoying my favorite sport, basketball, the most aesthetically beautiful sport in existence. About a month ago, I went to the ARCO contemporary art fair with our new lawyer, an absolute genius. One of the exhibited photographs was of a basketball player making a slam dunk. In that moment, I realized that basketball had shaped my taste in selecting photos, videos, and even helping my team craft copy and feedback for the videos we produce. Basketball is pure beauty, just like love.
But back to the power of intention. Before stepping on stage to speak in front of those 2,000 people, all I did was look at my wrist and tell myself: «Borja, you just have to read a letter. It’s simple.» There were some issues with the event’s organization, but my role was straightforward, I just had to read a letter, one that I had written from the heart. Next year, I will help them with their entrepreneurial journey. The Antidote 8.0.
The rest was recognition, something I’ve grown accustomed to, but never before such a large audience. Hearing the applause of 2,000 people felt incredible. But what truly made me feel good was overcoming a fear. The greatest recognition is not external applause, it’s recognizing yourself and your own abilities.
You know the trick, right? Use the power of intention before doing something significant.
Lately, I’ve used this power in situations that genuinely scared me: going to the police and giving a statement before they even told me that I was at risk of being detained, saying YES to appearing on a podcast with millions of viewers, or attending a meeting at Telefónica’s headquarters without knowing I was being extorted.
In all of these moments, I used the power of intention. It’s a magical force, telling yourself that you can, that you are valuable, that we all are valuable. And magically, things fall into place.
If I can do it, so can you.
Borja Mera
CEO of Siroko