Harnessing Intention to Overcome Adversity

One person at a time.

The early 2000s were one of the darkest periods of my life. I was seriously injured in a fire while working as a firefighter, and it set off a chain of events that I wasn’t ready for. PTSD raged to the surface while I recovered from a neck injury. It wasn’t the incident that triggered PTSD in me; It was the accumulated trauma I was managing by staying busy. As I recovered from the physical injury, I found myself addicted to pain medication, experiencing a kind of pain I’d never known before—both physical and emotional. The physical pain was intense, but the emotional pain I didn’t know how to process it, and it hit even harder. My marriage fell apart, and all of my friends outside of work disowned me—all of them.  

I felt lost.

I’ve shared more of my story in previous articles, so I won’t dive into every detail here. But I will say this: I hit a point where I didn’t care if I lived or died. I took risks at work because I didn’t see the point of playing it safe anymore. Firefighters are known for their gallows humor, and they gave me a new nickname: ‘Crispy,’ a play on my last name and state of mind at the time. It stung, but in some ways, it fit.

How does this relate to intention? Last week, I watched a documentary on Netflix about the Apollo 13 mission. There’s something about impossible situations that brings out the best in people. Take Apollo 13, for example—a mission to the moon that went wrong when an explosion crippled the spacecraft. The chances of those astronauts making it back to Earth were very small. But against the odds, they survived. And they didn’t do it alone. The whole world was rooting for them, and that collective hope, along with an amazing support crew, fueled their return. Their intention, the support of their team back home, and the collective focus of people across the planet all played a role in helping them do the impossible. How much did intention contribute to their survival? The documentary makes it clear—it played a big part.

Reframing Your Mindset

It wasn’t just the intention that changed things for me—it was the actions that followed. My intentions pushed me to adopt new habits essential to my healing. Meditation, reframing daily challenges, and connecting with supportive people were all practices I picked up because I was determined to create something better for myself.

I did a lot of walking during that time. Some of it was just to kill time, but eventually, those walks became a way to intentionally release some of the emotional weight I carried from working as a paramedic firefighter. On one of those walks, a thought hit me: What if I flipped the way I saw the world upside down? I was at such a low point that I felt I had nothing to lose by trying.

So, I intentionally shifted my perspective on a few key things in my life.

How Intention Fuels Action

Setting intentions wasn’t just about changing my thoughts—it fundamentally shifted my behavior. The clearer my intentions became, the more my actions aligned with them. I wanted to live in peace, so I began reframing everyday challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. I also made it a point to surround myself with people who supported the person I was becoming rather than the one I had been.

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow process, but little by little, I started to see the results of my actions. I realized that when intentions are paired with consistent effort, they create a powerful momentum. It’s one thing to decide you want change, but it’s another to work toward it every single day. That’s how post-traumatic growth happens—it’s not just about surviving trauma; it’s about using it as a springboard to grow even stronger.

Collective Intention

The power of intention isn’t just limited to individuals—it can move entire groups. The Apollo 13 mission is a perfect example of collective intention in action. After the explosion that crippled the spacecraft, people across the world focused their energy on one goal: bringing those astronauts home safely. Their survival wasn’t just due to skill or luck. It was fueled by the collective hope and intention of millions of people rooting for their return—along with an outstanding support team.

When we reframe our beliefs, it’s like rewriting the script of our lives. You’re still the main character, but now you have the power to shape the plot to serve you. This simple shift can transform any challenge into an opportunity.

And it starts with one person at a time.

In high-stakes environments like those faced by first responders, we often work with razor-thin margins for error. That’s why setting clear, proactive intentions is so critical. It moves us from merely reacting to problems to deliberately shaping the outcomes we want to see. This is the essence of proactive leadership—leading purposefully and intending to create the results you envision.

So, all of this got me thinking: We’re living in challenging times. Division is everywhere, and fear is all too common. But what if we, you and I, set an intention right now—one rooted in hope instead of fear? What if we focused on living in harmony—not despite our differences, but because of them? It all starts with one person deciding to make that shift.

I’m in.

Are you?

Be Safe, Stay Strong, and Remain Resilient.

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Stay Safe,

JC

🌟 John Christy draws on over 30 years of experience in emergency services as a firefighter/paramedic and SFFD Peer Support Team leader. Now, he shares his insights as a Keynote Speaker and Professional Coach. 🌟