When a young child prepares a surprise breakfast for their parents, it’s hard not to be delighted even though the meal itself might be terrible.

Even though the #intention and #outcomes land on opposite sides, we are more inclined to be forgiving because we understand that a child isn’t entirely responsible for their actions.

But as we get older and our actions begin to affect those around us, expectations rise, and the resulting outcomes start to matter more than the quality of the intentions that prompted them.

Being especially mindful of the outcomes and taking responsibility for the decisions that led to them is critical to ensure that our good intentions don’t get wasted.