One Word Can Change Your Life in 2019

At this time of year, we naturally start thinking about how the current year went and begin making plans for the new one.

New Year’s resolutions are usually part of the planning process for the new year.

Unfortunately, most of us break our new year’s resolutions almost before they begin.  Of course, some people keep at it for a few months.  But most of us do not.  According to US News, 80% of new year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February.  Some studies suggest that only 8% of new year’s resolutions are kept.

I don’t want to give you the impression that I am anti-new year’s resolution.  I’m not totally against making them, but I do believe they can be ineffective and even a demotivator in many cases when we fail to keep them.

A limited number of resolutions with a strong commitment to each of them is needed.

For those of you willing to try something different, I have a suggestion.

What if I told you about a way to change your life for the better in 2019 and even reach some of your goals?

Would you be interested?

Great!  Let me explain.

Alternative

A few years ago, I read a really interesting book, “One Word That Will Change Your Life,” by John Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page.

In 1999, the author’s discovered a process to select one word as a focus word for the year.  This one word helped them laser focus on what was important for the entire year.

One word gave them clarity and focus for the challenges of a busy, stress filled world and it can do the same for you.

After I read the book, I discussed the concept with the leadership team of my department and each of us identified our one word for the year.

I have only scratched the surface of the whole one word concept.

The authors actually take the reader through a process to come up with your one word.  I highly recommend you get the book to get all the details. 

Related Post: 5 Lessons I learned From the Old Timers (Veteran Officers) 

One Word Examples

You may be thinking, what are some one word examples? 

I’m glad you asked.  Your one word could be almost any word that describes your focus for the year.

Here are a few examples.

Go

Generous

Love

Commitment

Opportunity

Thankful

Balance

Gratitude

Courage

Surrender

Purpose

Intentional

Of course, there are many other words you could choose. I think you get the idea.

Let’s say you select gratitude.  Your focus for the year might be on showing gratitude to others, especially those closest to you.  You might decide to express a thought of gratitude each morning or evening before you go to bed.

You might decide to send a note of gratitude to different people throughout the year or you might do one of dozens of other things to show gratitude.

You can use your one word to springboard 2019 into a year of success.

2019

As I stated earlier, there is nothing wrong with new year’s resolutions.  I have made quite a few over the years.  Unfortunately, resolutions can be difficult to keep.

Maybe 2019 will be the year of your one word.

For me, my one word for 2019 is Action.

I want 2019 to be a year of accomplishments at work, at home and in the life of Top Cop Leadership. 

It is easy to accept motion for action, but they are not the same.

Motion is doing things, sometimes even moving forward, while attempting to accomplish something. 

Motion can be a good thing.  However, if you are perpetually in motion and don’t accomplish anything, your effort is wasted.

Let’s say you spend hours researching and designing at seven point recruitment plan.  That is an example of motion.

Action, on the other hand, is the type of behavior that will deliver results.

Once you implement that seven point recruitment plan you have taken action.

Above all, action gets results.

By focusing on action as my one word in 2019, I plan to implement many of the ideas I have been working on at work, at home and with Top Cop Leadership.    

More details to come.

What will your one word be for 2019? 

Share below in the comments.

I pray you will achieve all of your goals in 2019 and it will be your best year yet.

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