Notice, Name, Act: a 60-second appreciation practice
A simple three-step practice for closing the Intention Gap: notice what someone did, name what it made possible, and act while it still matters. Free printable card included.
A free card to help you close the Intention Gap
Think of one person who made something possible for you recently. A referral partner who trusted you with an introduction. Someone who stepped in when you were stretched thin. A client who took a chance on you early.
Now, a harder question: do they know what it meant?
Most of us don’t struggle with appreciation because we don’t care. We notice. We feel grateful. We mean to say something. And then the week gets away from us. That space between feeling appreciation and actually communicating it is what I call the Intention Gap.
Here’s the simple practice I use to close it:
Notice. Catch the specific thing they did. Not “thanks for everything,” but the actual moment.
Name. Say what their contribution made possible. This is the part we skip most often, and the part people remember.
Act. Choose a gesture that fits the person, and send it while it still matters.
None of this takes a big budget. It takes attention. Start with the person. Then choose the gesture.
Print it, keep it by your desk, and fill in the three lines the next time someone makes something possible for you: “I noticed…”, “It made possible…” and “So I’m going to…”. Then send it.
If you joined me at Polka Dot Powerhouse Milwaukee: thank you. I’d love to hear who you wrote to.
