Design the New Year with One WORD
Is there is a single WORD that captures what you would like to manifest in you or in your life for 2021?
We are now in the home stretch where many people start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions or start mapping out their many goals. We all know that Resolutions do not stick, and they usually fade out by the time we reach February. Goals are great, but some people become stressed about trying to figure out goals because they do not have an idea yet of what they want the year to look like. Let me introduce you to a successful and productive concept about picking ONE WORD for the New Year. This WORD becomes a compass for you and your goals. It keeps you moving in the right direction, even if the path changes, doors open and close, and people come and go. Your WORD serves as a friendly reminder of what you want to accomplish and who you want to be. It is your personal mantra.
For example, maybe your word for the year is Diligent. You are saying that you want to approach your professional life, your relationships, finances, etc., with a diligent mindset. By keeping the word diligent in front of you, you won’t want to slack off because slacking does not align with diligent. Examples of a WORD: Prosperity, Entrepreneur, Intentional, Relax, Fearless, Dynamic, Speaker, Focus, Intentional, Debt-Free, Balance… Now, you can align your goals for the year to your WORD. It is like planning a vacation, you may pick a destination first and then back into the destination with side trips, fun getaways and sightseeing. If you want to go to California, you will not plan a get-a-way in Maine.
I think of my power WORD like buying a new car. When you are looking to purchase a new car, you start to research the kind of car you want based on safety features, gas mileage, costs, etc. After a while, you may narrow the search down to a particular make and model. Then, you have this car (make and model) stamped on your brain so now you can spot it in a parking lot filled with cars or spot it when you are driving down the road. Why? Because your brain is now trained (rewired) to look for that car because you have spent so much time studying it. When you pick your WORD, I believe the same thing will happen. You will start aligning your goals to the WORD; your day-to-day actions to the WORD; your decisions to the WORD, and so on. Your brain will start filtering out the things that will interfere with this WORD so that you can stay on track.
Are you struggling to find a WORD? Ask yourself a few questions for clarity.
What outcome would you like to see at the end of the year?
Is there a quality you would like to manifest in your life?
What change would you like to see in your life in the coming year?
What do you want to focus on (personally and professionally)?
What do you want your year to look like?
How to Trick Yourself into Accomplishing Your Goals: Brothers Dan Heath and Chip Heath are the best-selling authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. They share in their writings about environmental triggers. These triggers are things around you that can be used to give visual clues to trick you into accomplishing and achieving your goals.
If you want to be committed to working out, lay your workout clothes out so that you see them first thing in the morning to remind you to work out!
If you want to start eating healthy or watch what you eat, fill your refrigerator or pantry with healthy food and snacks.
Post your WORD or positive quotes around the house to remind you of your mantra and bring your thoughts and actions back to your WORD.
ANCHOR THOUGHTS
What if you are super excited about your WORD but you are having doubts you can reach your goals or accomplish the things you want in 2021? Let’s talk about the power of Anchor Thoughts.
Are you ready to start planting an anchor thought for 2021? This is a powerful tool to stop self-limiting beliefs when they try to sneak in during challenges or obstacles in the New Year. The more you practice anchor thoughts (and have them ready ahead of time), you will rewire your brain and redirect worry, doubt, anxiety and other interferences to your anchor thought.
Examples may be:
§ A vision of your 2021 achieved goal (what does it look like, feel like, etc.).
§ The college degree you will receive.
§ The vacation you have been saving for.
§ A picture of what your financial freedom looks like when debt is paid off.
§ A picture of a beach with the sand and water to calm yourself.
§ You can also draw or cut out a picture from a magazine of your anchor thought and put it in a place where you will see it every day.
As a kid when I would go fishing with my dad, he would say, “drop the anchor” when we were at our fishing spot. There would be just enough “give” in the rope to allow us to move a little with the current, but not be moved away with the current. Once the rope was tight, the anchor then took over to keep us at our fishing spot.
