So, good intentions have a bad rap. You know the story—the road to a faraway, fiery place is paved with them. According to T.S. Eliot, “Most of the evil in this world is done by people with good intentions.”

Well, as the founder of a company dedicated to hatching great ideas from good intentions, I profoundly disagree and humbly assert that our world is full of evidence to the contrary.

In 2015, I observed so many good intentions…

  • Mark Cole, the new Executive Director of Miami Dade College Foundation comes onboard with a clear intent to motivate his team, craft strategy and message to drive greater results all with the goal of raising essential funds to change the life of Miamians pursuing higher education
  • The board of Junior League of Miami brings back a historical fundraiser to reclaim their place as a grant-making organization dedicated to the higher levels of community impact that are only possible through resource investments—committed to changing the lives of women and children at risk
  • Jacquie O’Malley and Laura Fernandez at United Way of Miami-Dade launch LINC to engage Millennials in volunteerism—a clear response to an imperative dictated by their customers that also happens to change our community for the better
  • Catherine Penrod and the team at Switchboard debut a volunteer engagement campaign to bring more well-intentioned Miamians into service helping a vulnerable, mentally ill population.
  • Steve Smith, my former boss and Partner at Ernst & Young, a father and grandfather who, outraged at recent developments, commits time and resources to ending gun violence
  • My husband, Tom Gillette, leads the effort to revolutionize how technology influences better patient care and greater patient engagement at Mount Sinai Medical Center all aimed at creating a healthier community
  • My daughter, Lucy Gillette, an animal lover, engages two of her third grade friends to take that enthusiasm for dogs and cats to raise money for a local shelter, improving the well-being of animals and of families

Then there are the moms who drive their kids across town in pursuit of a better education, the dads who coach little league, and the grandparents taking an active role in raising their grandkids. And so many more…

These people—these organizations—are intent on paving a better path. Their intentions will change the lives of individuals, animals, and institutions across Miami and beyond. And every one of these lives changed will be owed to an idea that came from a good intention.

And these are just a few examples of what I observed from my vantage point! Each of us sees so much bravery, so much heart, and so many good intentions every day. Let us spend 2016 recognizing and celebrating them, seeing the better way, the golden, higher road paved with our good intentions.

What are your good intentions for 2016?