Igniting the Engine of Intent (Revised)

Why can we know exactly what we should do-and still struggle to do it?We often explain human behavior in terms of what we think and feel. But something important is missing: the force that turns possibility into intention and intention into action.In this revised version of Igniting the Engine of Intent, Duane Sharrock explores conation-the often-overlooked dimension of mind associated with wanting, choosing, striving, persisting, and directing action. Drawing on psychology, education, personal reflection, and decades of experience working with learners and adults, Sharrock introduces the Quartite Model of Mind, a practical framework for understanding four interacting domains of human experience: Sensorimotor - what the body senses and does Affective - what we feel and value Cognitive - what we think, know, and interpret Conative - what we intend, pursue, resist, and chooseTogether, these domains help explain one of the most familiar-and frustrating-human experiences: the gap between knowing and doing.Why does a capable student understand an assignment yet fail to begin it? Why can an adult genuinely want to exercise and still go home instead? Why does a leader know a difficult conversation is necessary but continue postponing it? Why do some intentions gain traction while others repeatedly stall?Rather than reducing these struggles to laziness, motivation, discipline, or willpower, Igniting the Engine of Intent offers a more useful question: What is happening within the system?At the center of the book is the Metacognitive Reflection and Reporting Tool (MRRT), a 4×4 matrix designed to make interactions among body, emotion, thought, and intention more visible. Through relatable scenarios, personal reflections, educational applications, and practical exercises, readers learn to recognize patterns that support action, create friction, or leave them feeling inexplicably stuck.Accessible without oversimplifying its ideas, Igniting the Engine of Intent will appeal to educators, leaders, coaches, counselors, parents, lifelong learners, and anyone interested in understanding why human beings sometimes struggle to translate insight into action.This is not a book about simply trying harder. It is an invitation to become more precise about what moves us, what stops us, and what might help us move again.When stuckness becomes legible, it becomes possible to work with it.The Engine of Intent is yours. Learn to read it.