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New Year, New Word

Well here it is, the beginning of a New Year and with every New Year comes a new word for me (well except for last year when I ran with contribution for the second year in a row because it had served me so well in 2016)

Why a word you might ask?

For decades now I have adopted a single word to help me focus on what I wanted to pay attention to and to achieve during the year. For example, I have had a year of ‘service’, a year to ‘grow’, and a year of ‘no’, among many others.

The year of ‘no’ was of defining importance for me.

With every request I received, my first mental response was no, I’m not going to do that, I’m going to pause and assess that opportunity, I’m not going to do just any job, I’m not carrying a responsibility that is not meant for me.

With that response in my head I would then ask the person to give me more information, to really sell me on the idea, providing me with compelling evidence that it was right for me.

I was amazed at how many of these potential distractions simply disappeared when I challenged their usefulness or importance to me, and I was impressed with how little I compromised myself because the first response in my head was no.

The word that I have chosen to commit to and place all around me, to maintain focus, becomes part of my identity and my behaviours for the year shaping everything I do.

It seems so simple – and yet – it is so powerful.

The more years you do it, the more powerful it becomes!

I have all the executives who are part of my mentoring programs do the same thing. When we reflect on the power of their word after twelve months the results are simply amazing!

What you care about comes about, so choose your word carefully and then be brave enough to share it, and the reason why you chose it, with others.

Here’s mine . . .

Why did I choose it?

Well the last few years for me have been about being comfortable and cruising along.

At the end of last year, I wrote a new book on leadership called Leadability. (You can get a copy @ rowdymclean.com or at any good bookstore. Order your copy HERE ) It was published in December, together with a massive marketing campaign on giant billboards outside airports and signage throughout the airports themselves and inside bookstores.

It has gone absolutely gangbusters!

This has filled me with enormous excitement for the year ahead and it has made me want to show up with exuberance, effervescence, pizzaz and zip. I have found my get up and go again and so I’m playing all in and having a BIG year rather than a cruisy one.

How about you?

I would love to hear what yours might be, and the reason you chose it, take some time to tell me about it in the comments section below