We all have good intentions when we make New Year’s resolutions, but
fully 88 percent of us fail to achieve them. That’s because in our
enthusiasm to make positive changes, we take on too much. We simply
don’t have enough time, energy, and mental bandwidth to keep up with
multiple resolutions in the midst of our hectic, stressful lives. And by
February or March, our unsustainable resolutions are ancient history.
That’s why, as another January 1st looms on the calendar, Dan Britton,
Jimmy Page, and Jon Gordon suggest radically reducing your
resolutions—not just to one goal, but to one WORD.
“This year, choose a single Word that will give meaning, focus, and
purpose to your life,” says Britton, coauthor along with Page and Gordon
of One
Word That Will Change Your Life, Expanded Edition (Wiley, 2013,
978-1-118-80942-6, $20.00, www.getoneword.com).
“No matter how busy or stressed you are, or how many distractions and
obligations are fighting for your attention, it’s easy to remember One
Word—and believe it or not, One Word has the power to impact your life
so much more than a laundry list of resolutions.”
Britton and Page have been choosing and living by One Word for almost 20
years. Along with Gordon, they have shared the process with numerous
audiences, schools, companies, and even professional sports teams, with
great success.
“Your One Word represents the essence of what you want to accomplish
during the year, but instead of burdening you with a list of tasks to do,
it keeps you focused on an overarching concept of how to be,”
Gordon explains. “No matter what slings and arrows life throws your way,
your One Word can endure and adapt.”
To give you a sense of what the One Word process looks like in action,
Page shares that his One Word for the past year has been “Connect.”
“I was increasingly concerned about the pace of life and its potential
to rob me of significant relationships,” he explains. “This Word has
resulted in better connections with those who are most important to me,
more strategic professional connections, a more intimate connection with
God, and opportunities to intentionally bring people together.”
“Jon’s One Word for 2014 was ‘Serve,’ which inspired him to approach his
work and family with a servant’s heart and to put others’ needs before
his own,” Britton adds. “And mine was ‘One.’ Unfortunately, leaders
often focus on how many they are impacting instead of on how
they are impacting each individual. My Word reminded me that great
leaders care about each person and invest in ONE relationship at a time.”
Here, Britton, Page, and Gordon explain how to go about picking your
One Word for 2015—and why this trimmed-down New Year’s resolution works
so well:
Put some thought into it. It’s not unusual to choose
spur-of-the-moment New Year’s resolutions as the ball drops in Times
Square. Or maybe you just recycle the same resolutions every year: Lose
weight! Save more money! Spend more time with the kids! Whatever
your usual strategy is, you need to put a little more thought into your
One Word if you want it to “work.”
“Make time for reflection, introspection, meditation, and prayer when
considering what you want your One Word to be,” advises Britton. “Think
about all the positive changes you’d like to see in your life, bad
habits you’d like to break, and goals you have for yourself. Look inward
and ask important questions like, What do I need? What do I want?
What is in the way? What do I need to focus on? Then see if any
common values or themes—or specific Words—bubble up.”
Listen to your intuition. While it’s important to think seriously
about your One Word, don’t overthink it, either. The point isn’t
to make your One Word impressive or extraordinary; instead, it should be
influential and impactful for you. Sometimes, your inner wisdom, not
your brain, knows best what that Word should be.
“A few years ago, I absolutely couldn’t decide whether I wanted my One
Word to be ‘Surrender’or ‘Enjoy,’” Gordon shares. “While
jumping into the ocean on New Year’s Day, which I do every year, I felt
a sharp pain in my knee and had trouble walking out of the surf. I
thought to myself, Not a great way to start the year—maybe I’m
pushing myself too hard. As I reached the shore, I heard the Word
‘Surrender’ loud and clear. My intuition had spoken, and I listened.
I knew it was my Word for that year.”
Figure out what your One Word looks like in real life. Once
you’ve discovered your One Word, consider what it might look like in
practice and visualize it impacting your life. Be open-minded and push
yourself to think beyond the Word’s obvious definition.
“While you may have intended your One Word to apply to a specific area
of your life, chances are, its sphere of positive influence is much
wider,” explains Page. “For example, if your Word is ‘Invest,’ it might
prompt you not only to be a good steward of your money, but to invest
more emotional capital in your family and to invest some time in your
professional growth.”
Create a visual reminder. If you keep your One Word in front of
you, it will stay at the forefront of your mind where it can guide your
attitude and actions. Your reminder could be as simple as a sticky note
on the bathroom mirror or refrigerator, or you could put more time and
effort into it.
“Over the years, my coauthors and I have seen people get really creative
with depicting their One Words,” says Britton. “Some people have
depicted their Word in jewelry. We know of corporate teams who each
write their Word on wooden spoons that they take back to their desks.
And every New Year’s Eve, my family and I paint our Words on small
canvases and hang them on a wall of our home.”
Consider enlisting support. Doing the One Word process with
people who care about you can be fun, meaningful, and mutually
beneficial. Consider brainstorming and sharing your Word with your
family, friends, maybe even your team at work.
“Imagine the impact if everyone in your family or team helped each other
live their Words,” Gordon suggests. “My wife, son, daughter, and I share
our Words with each other every year. It’s inspiring to see the Word
everyone chooses and how it shapes their lives throughout the year.”
Record your Word in action. It’s not a requirement, of course,
but Britton, Page, and Gordon suggest keeping a record of how your One
Word influences your life throughout the year, perhaps in the form of a
journal or blog. Write about how your Word guides your decisions, shifts
your priorities, and influences your perspective.
“And at the end of the year, it’s helpful to perform a One Word review,”
notes Page. “Consider the past 365 days and ask yourself, How has my
life changed because of my One Word? What lessons did it teach me this
year? What blessings did it bring into my life? What challenges did it
enable me to overcome? Even though I’ve been living by the One Word
process for almost two decades, I’m always surprised by how much my Word
has impacted my life when I look back on the previous year. And it’s
nice to have a record of how my Words have helped me grow, achieve, and
learn.”
“So, why not simplify things this year by choosing One Word instead of a
laundry list of resolutions?” asks Britton. “One Word sticks. It’s
straightforward. It doesn’t leave room for confusion or excuses.”
“And most importantly, One Word gives you meaning and a mission
throughout the year,” concludes Page. “It’s easy to make One Word a part
of your life—and that Word can change your life.”
Wiley
Dottie DeHart, 828-325-4966
Publicist
dottie@dehartandcompany.com
or
Melissa Connors, 201-748-6834
Publicity Manager
mconnors@wiley.com