2024 Focus: One Word, Three Actions

The practice of selecting one word for the New Year offers a focused and simplified approach to setting goals and intentions. This method, rooted in simplicity, involves choosing a single word that encapsulates your aspirations and drives for the upcoming year, thus minimizing distractions and aligning various life aspects towards this central theme. However, the One Word, while it may be exciting and inspiring at first, it may soon become stale and forgotten without the additional step I am appending below.

To discover your word for 2024, I recommend a method inspired by my design thinking teachings:

Step 1: Ideate: Freely jot down potential words without overthinking. Ask yourself questions like, 'What person do I aspire to become?', 'What are my key intentions for the year?', or 'What do I aim to achieve?'. This brainstorming phase is intuitive and unstructured.

Step 2: Play & Organize: Experiment by grouping your ideas, allowing for more inspiration and exploration. Stay open and curious during this process.

Step 3: Reflect: Give yourself time to reflect. This might involve additional journaling and contemplation, ensuring the word you choose genuinely resonates with your intentions for the year.

Step 4: Select: Identify your word, commit to it. Remember, this doesn't limit you from working on other areas but helps maintain focus and emphasis.

Step 5: Define Three Actions: To make your chosen word impactful, it's essential to translate it into tangible actions. Break down this word into small, achievable steps and schedule them on your calendar. This vital step ensures your word evolves from a mere concept to a set of practical, daily activities. Without such actionable steps, the chosen word risks becoming just another forgotten notion, much like unused New Year's resolutions. Keeping it alive and relevant requires regular engagement and incorporation into your daily life

This exercise is valuable for teams, families, and individuals alike. It's a communal activity that fosters shared goals and vision.?It might be a nice addition and a new kind of bonding experience for your holiday gatherings. I would be curious what your One Word is!

More resources:My One Word book by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen, Susannah Conway’s workshop and resources, and our 7-Week and half-day mindfulness programs if you’re interested in truly making self-care one your actions in 2024.

Elizabeth Cotter , Heidi Lorenzen , Rachel Smith , Katie Tomola, EMBA , Hugh Delehanty , Jim Fan , Zhengzhong Tu , Dr. Jennifer R. Cohen , Eduardo Brice?o , Dawna Ballard , Beatrice Stonebanks , Bill Duane , Jay Vidyarthi ?? , Shomari White