One Word
“Instead of creating endless goals and resolutions for 2022, choose One Word to be your driving force for the year. No goals. No wish lists. Just one word.”
The power of our words in life and business continues to inspire and amaze me every day. In 2016, after my step-mother Paula passed away and I was busy most of that year managing and settling hers and my fathers estate, I was introduced to the idea of choosing a word for the year. One of my favorite authors is Jon Gordon and he has chosen a word for the year for over 20 years and swears by it. So I gave it a try.
After watching her and my dad both lose battles with cancer, I chose the word “Health” for 2017. Not only did I aspire to greater physical health (I felt like I needed to lose weight and my cholesterol numbers were higher than Dr. Krause wanted them), but also improved mental and spiritual health.
I formed my “Health Success Team” which I’ve written about in previous blogs.
In 2018, I felt a calling to start my own business, so I ventured out and decided “Change” was an appropriate word for that year. In one of the amazing speaker series I attended at Zing Train in Ann Arbor, I received a card with this quote: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” This card sits in front of me on my desk and I see it every day. It contains truth which has significantly helped the way I see the world and the people in it.
It became clear soon after starting my business I wanted to build a professional coaching business, and specifically as a Leadership Coach, so in 2019 “Leadership” was my word. I continued to reflect on what it really means to be a leader, the idea of self-leadership, and how this directly affects how we lead others. Our world is in desperate need of great leaders, which is why I’ve invested time and energy coaching high school tennis and now also mentoring through a Leadership curriculum in schools with an outstanding organization called Reaching Higher.
Having made it through two years on my own but chasing words like bigger, better and faster, “Growth” was the word I selected for 2020. Growing personally and professionally at the same time continued to resonate more with me as I experienced the peaks and valleys of being an entrepreneur and having fruitful conversations with others on the same journey. My wife loves gardening and has transformed our yard over the years, but it does take time. There are so many wonderful visuals and word pictures to the way we grow just like plants, flowers and trees.
“Coachable” was the word I selected for 2021, and I wrote a blog about it at the beginning of the year.
For 2022, I have selected “Creativity” as my One Word for the year. I’ve been inspired by a wonderful book by Steve Chandler called “Creator” and am excited and inspired to tap into the creativity which DOES exist within me. It is unlimited! The beautiful thing is I now believe that, instead of the self-limiting belief, “I’m not a creative person.” More on this to come this year!
Each of these words have had a profound impact on me and have shaped the person I am today. I highly recommend you spend time reflecting on this and choose One Word for 2022. I’d love to help!