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 countless days enjoying my favorite sport, basketball, the most visually beautiful sport there is. About a month ago, I went to the ARCO contemporary art fair with our new lawyer, an absolute genius. One of the photographs on display showed a basketball player mid-slam dunk. At that moment, I realized that basketball had sharpened my eye for selecting photos and videos while also shaping how I help my team craft copy and give feedback on our video projects. 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 gotten used to, but never on this scale. Hearing 2,000 people applaud felt incredible. But what truly made me feel good was overcoming a fear. The greatest recognition isn’t the applause of others; it’s acknowledging yourself and your own abilities.
You know the trick, right? Use the power of intention before doing something significant.
Lately, I’ve tapped into this power in situations that really scared me: reaching out to the police to give a statement before they even told me I might be at risk of being detained, saying YES to appearing on a podcast with millions of viewers, or showing up at 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
https://www.instagram.com/borjansiroko
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