Ten years ago, I ditched the New Year’s resolution goals and replaced them with a single word. My yoga instructor motivated me to do this after sharing how she had used this practice of naming a single word as her mantra and goal for each year. At the time, this idea really resonated with me because I remember feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed in my situation, not knowing if my contentious divorce was going to sabotage my business and livelihood. I was in survival mode, and not in the mood to “Stephen Covey” my 2014 with lofty goals that I knew would be insurmountable given my limited bandwidth. That year, I chose one simple word as my goal, “focus,” and it was transformative.
I was not the winner in my divorce, but by the end of 2014 I had stayed focused to finally reach a settlement that saved my company, giving me the freedom to move to New York City and build the life I was always meant to live. Fast forward to now, I’m entering the five-star luxury Equinox Hotel in Hudson Yards, preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of my company, Pitch Publicity. Fitting, because my word for 2023 is “win,” and as Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” Thinking back on that December day in 2013, on my mat, eyes swollen with tears, in a secluded Florida yoga studio, who would have ever imagined my yogi’s advice of selecting a “word goal” would have brought me to where I am today with the Manhattan skyline in view reminding me that I did indeed make it here.
This year has literally been a winning year for me. I won the Nutrition Business Journal Education Award for producing the “Identifying the Elephant in the Room” sexism seminar series and won recognition as a PR News Top Women Awards Honoree in the Business Entrepreneurs category. None of these accomplishments would have occurred had I not kept my “focus” in 2013, preparing me to make the word “win” a reality in 2023.
After 10 years of testing the word-of-the-year goal approach, I can confirm that it’s effective and positively life altering. While long-term goals, such as earning a college degree and making partner at the firm, are good for guiding your career path, it’s the short-term goals that ultimately determine the speed of your success. Here’s how to get where you were always meant to be word-by-word, year-after-year:
Name It
“Words can inspire, and words can destroy. Choose yours well.” – Robin Sharma
Who do you need to be? Don’t ask yourself who you want to be. Rather, what or who do you need to be? This is how I start my search for the right word of the year.
In 2019, I selected the word “pause” because I needed to be less reactive. I didn’t like how I would immediately react to emails or text messages if I felt threatened or criticized. Often when I did have a hasty response to a client email at 10 p.m., I realized later that I was just reading it wrong because my brain was exhausted. Then there were those instances where I would be in the middle of work, and a friend would text me with what I would often misinterpret as some sort of life emergency. This would cause me to stop my work and reply as if I was an on-call therapist, thereby putting me even further behind important deadlines. “Pause.” In 2019, this was my mantra, word goal I would repeat by name each time I felt the urge to jump in and fix something or attempt a quick reply to an incoming message. By the end of that year, I was a better listener and communicator. I was slower to speak and more thoughtful in my responses, and as a result, less anxious about emails mounting in my inbox.
Proclaim It
“Everything is temporary: emotions, thoughts, people and scenery. Do not become attached, just flow with it.” – Anonymous Once you have identified your word for the year, tell the world about it, or at minimum, a friend, colleague or family member. When you proclaim a goal’s intention publicly, it is more likely to come to fruition than if you keep it a secret. It’s always scary putting yourself out there, but it’s that small step that will be the strongest motivator to bring about the change you are seeking. It also adds a level of accountability to your progress. If you proclaim an intention to change or do something, others will ask at some point, “How is it going?” or at least you will anticipate this question, so that’s a built-in motivator.
I make it a habit to proclaim my word of the year on social media. I usually announce my word goal on the first day of the year with a picture that I feel fits the intention and the reason behind why I choose it. I do this for myself and to engage my friends, who over the years have joined me in this one-word goal journey. I also enjoy looking back at my posts to see how these words have ultimately shaped who I have become today and how they continue to be a part of my life. In 2020, I proclaimed my word would be “detach.” Here’s what I posted on social media about my word goal on Jan. 1, 2020:
“It was fitting that I was completely alone for New Year’s Eve because my word for #2020 is ‘detach.’ I want to stop forcing relationships, agendas and goals and be at peace with detaching from people, places and things that aren’t meant for me. What is your word of intention for the New Year?”
Who knew the entire world would be detaching with me due to the pandemic! A word of caution: Choose your words carefully; they are powerful. I learned the most about myself in 2020 with the word “detach” and was forced into true circumstantial detachment from the people, places and things that were no longer serving me.
Embed It
“It’s on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So, we must dig and delve unceasingly.” – Claude Monet “Observe” was my word goal for 2022. I chose this word because I was recognizing that my natural first response when someone made a request was to perform, fulfill and rescue. Because of this reaction I got a lot done in a short amount of time, I made others feel fulfilled and I inevitably attracted more people with similar needs. As great as this may sound for the receiver, it’s not so healthy for the giver and I was drowning in the requests of needy people, making their burdens mine. To break this automatic reaction and pull toward needy people, I committed to use “observe” as my word goal for the year. I wanted to realize for myself that not everything needs a reaction and that by observing first, I could gain more knowledge that would better inform my response.
To do this, I had to embed the word “observe” into everything that I touched to recall it when needed. Each year I change my passwords to different versions that include my word of the year. Since we use passwords frequently, this is one way to embed your word into your consciousness. I also write out my reason for the word in my digital notebook so I can reference it frequently at the start or end of my day. My word becomes a lifeline of sorts to recenter myself throughout the year. I keep it embedded in my heart, so it’s always top of mind.
Be It
“People always expect more of you when you have naturally curly hair.” – Frieda Rich (from Charles Schultz’s “Peanuts”) A year into the pandemic, I was seeking to be the change I was now seeing in the world so “change” became my 2021 word goal, and I became changed because of it. Forgetting all the failures from my past, I decided not to dwell on, or regret, them. I was finally making my way out of a desert of seclusion and into a rich and fertile foundation that had always been promised for me. As my heart changed and my belief in myself grew, I realized I had the capacity to serve and connect with a much wider audience. Because of this, my eyes became open to new opportunities that were always there, but now I could see them clearly.
Once you name, proclaim, and embed your word of the year, you must live it; and you have to be it. It makes sense to me now why New Year’s resolutions often fail by February. There are too many, and they are often too lofty or layered. It takes time to change habits, perceptions, situations and feelings. Focusing on one simple word for the year, a word that you essentially want to be, will put you in a better position to become that person, and achieve your goals.
It’s rewarding to look back on the words you select for each year and measure that against how far you have come, and what you have accomplished as a result. For me, they tell a story of who I was, and who I am today. This month I will start the process of selecting my word for 2024. I’ll reflect on all my other words to trace where I have been, who I have become, and who I will aim to be in the future. A quick glance of my word goals for the past decade tells my story:
2014: Focus
2015: Aware
2016: Patience
2017: Give
2018: Release
2019: Pause
2020: Detach
2021: Change
2022: Observe
2023: Win
What word will contribute to my career journey in 2024? I’m not sure yet, but if you are connected to me on Facebook or Instagram @AmySummersNYC you’ll find out soon. I’d also be curious to know your word of the year is, too (share it in the comments). In my profession of public relations, words are powerful. Applying the power of a single word to replace a list of goals has been the most impactful change I’ve made in the past decade to expedite my professional development. As simple as it may sound, start with just one word for the year. Name it, proclaim it, embed it and be it; then just watch how far you’ll soar. NIE
Amy Summers, founder and president of Pitch Publicity, has decades of experience working with major clients in the natural products industry to increase national publicity exposure across all mass media outlets, while also developing key strategic communication strategies. In 2020, she launched INICIVOX to help individuals improve a wide range of soft skills centered on the complexity of communications. Her influential career has garnered her recognition as a PR News Top Women Awards Honoree in the Business Entrepreneurs category, acknowledging her unwavering dedication to the public relations profession. Headquartered in New York City, Summers is committed to supporting and nurturing the growth of the natural products industry that has served her well throughout her career. Learn more at: www.pitchpublicitynyc.com and www.INICIVOX.com. Receive free daily pitch tips from “The Pitch with Amy Summers” flash briefing on Amazon’s Alexa, Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, Audible, Pandora and anywhere voice is heard: www.INICIVOX.com.
