The holidays are over, and we’re all back to the grind. Did you have a good break?
This is that time of year many of us think about what we will be doing differently in the new year. A lot of times, it revolves around things we wish we did last year or things we want to do better. For most people, it involves losing weight, getting fit, or making more money.
If you’re familiar with Chris Brogan, you know chooses three words for each year. I’ve done the same for a couple of years as well. It’s a nice way to provide yourself some sort of structure for the upcoming year. Plus, it’s not so much a resolution or a goal, but a framework for thinking. As Chris says in his latest newsletter:
The concept is simple enough: think of three words that sum up what you want to change or work towards in the coming year. Instead of a goal like “lose weight” or a better goal like “lose 30 pounds in the next year,” you might choose a word like “green” to represent an overall commitment to having more plant-based foods in your life, and to restore your body to a more natural state.
Previous Words
In 2013, I chose the word Delete because it helped me think about ways to minimize clutter in my life. I still have a long way to go, but it may have permanently shaped my thinking, especially in my digital life. I’m less willing to let new things into my life if I think it will only create more noise, and I am not afraid to drop things that aren’t creating value for me.
In 2010, my words were “follow-through” and “finish.” (I’m not sure I had anything for 2011 or 2012. Those years were admittedly less focused.)
My Three Words for 2014
I actually started thinking about my 2014 words of the year around Thanksgiving, maybe earlier. For 2014, I want to focus on 3 words: Intentional, Boring, Listen.Intentional
I want to be more intentional in how I spend my time and money. My kids won’t be kids for long, and I want to be sure they get time from me that they need. How I spend my time and money is important, too. I can’t waste it and fritter it away on things that don’t give lasting value. So in a way, this is an extension of last year’s “Delete” theme.Boring
If this one made you laugh, I’m glad! Yeah, it’s a funny one. Who wants to be boring, anyway? Don’t we all want to be interesting? But this for me is more about routine than anything else. It actually piggybacks on being intentional. If I spend my time intentionally, purposefully not staying up late watching Family Guy on Netflix, but instead going to bed early so that I can get up early and write or paint, then I’m being intentional and boring. Boring in the sense that you know exactly what I’ll be doing at that time, because I’m doing hard work instead of hanging out or wasting time. Hustle.Listen
This one may prove harder than the others since they are easy to automate once you get the habit formed. Listening is something you have to do actively, whether it is with your spouse or business opportunities. What this looks like for me personally is seeking out conferences, magazines, bloggers, and individuals that I can learn from to become a better artist, marketer, and person. It also means taking more time (intentionally) to listen to my wife and children, putting down the iPhone or paintbrush and giving them my undivided attention.What Are Your Three Words for 2014?
So, do you have three words for the upcoming year? I hope so, so you can have a bigger and better year than 2013. I’d love to hear what you want to do in 2014. Maybe we can encourage each other. What do you say?One Last Thing
Yesterday, I sent a version of this to my newsletter subscribers. If you’d like to see this sort of thing in your inbox, please sign up! Thanks!Photo Credits: January 2014 Calendar: danielmoyle via Compfight cc Calendar with leaves and herbs and stuff: bubbo.etsy.com via Compfight cc