What will be Your Focus Word for the New Year?

Focus Word for the New Year

I want to introduce you to a new concept, at least it is new to me. It is about picking a focus word that will be a guiding light throughout the next year. For the last few years, I have taken the last 2 weeks of the year to reflect, review and prepare for the new year.

This year I am listening to Mel Robbin’s book The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage. I discovered Mel Robbin quite by accident on Lewis Howes’ School of Greatness podcast. It just popped up in my LinkedIn feed. I listened to the podcast episode and I suggest you do too, and I then ordered her book on Audible.com. What I am picking up from the book is to use her 5 Second Rule to take action and to get focused.

I am also a big fan of Roger Whitney’s Retirement Answerman Podcast. Roger was one of the first guests on the Repurpose Your Career podcast back in 2017 in the episode How to Maximize Life With Roger Whitney.

Roger and his sidekick Nicole each year pick a word. Let me quote what Roger wrote in his most recent episode:

Reflections on our word of the year

If you have been a long-time listener, you know that Nichole and I chose a word at the beginning of each year to be our guiding light throughout the year. That word becomes the focus of our energy, and we try to keep it at the forefront of our minds. Now that 2019 is coming to a close we’re taking a moment to reflect on how we did with our words. The word I chose for this year was Embrace. I chose this word so that I could embrace the moment of life that I am in right now. Nichole chose Flow since she wanted to learn how to go with the flow. Did you choose a word this year? Let us know how you did with it, we’d love to hear!

Therefore, I am going to pick a focus word to be a guiding light for 2020 and get focused.

Implementing the 5 Second Rule

I have just started to implement the 5 Second Rule. I think the best way to describe the rule is to quote what Mel wrote on her Amazon sales page for the book:

How to enrich your life and destroy doubt in five seconds.

Throughout your life, you’ve had parents, coaches, teachers, friends, and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science of habits, riveting stories, and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art, and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a “push moment”. Then, she’ll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self.

It takes just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do you’ll be in great company. More than eight million people have watched Mel’s TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world’s largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.

In The 5 Second Rule, you’ll discover it takes just five seconds to:

• • Become confident
  • Break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt
  • Beat fear and uncertainty
  • Stop worrying and feel happier
  • Share your ideas with courage

The 5 Second Rule is a simple, one-size-fits-all solution for the one problem we all face – we hold ourselves back.

The secret isn’t knowing what to do – it’s knowing how to make yourself do it.

My Interpretation of the 5 Second Rule

The concept is when we decide to do something it is based on whether we feel like doing it. The classic example is getting up in the morning. We would not have snooze buttons on our alarm clocks and smartphones if we wanted to get up in the morning.

It only takes 5 seconds to talk ourselves out of doing something that we know we should do.  The idea as soon as you have the idea to take action count down backward and DO IT.  The act of counting down backward short circuits the brain to get you to take action. Yes, I know this sounds simple but I am implementing and it works.

I have been using this technique during the last few weeks to do the following:

• Audit the complete Career Pivot website with over 600 pieces of content
• Select over 25 pieces of content to be updated in 2020
• Plan out 4 months of podcast episodes
• Interview 4 experts for the podcast and schedule several more
• Evaluate the direction of the Career Pivot website and online community

My recommendation for you is to listen to the podcast episode and then pick up her book.

My Focus Word for 2020 – Reinvigorate

2018 and 2019 were consumed with our move to Mexico, getting the Career Pivot Community defined, and get the 3rd edition of Repurpose Your Career published. This was way too much.

Oh yeah, the website was attacked.

Therefore, I cut back on the publication schedule for the Career Pivot blog and hit the pause button on the podcast for December and January.

How to Reinvigorate?

I am using the 5 Second Rule to get focused. I am doing the following:

• Eliminating distractions by removing Social Media apps from my iPhone
• Developing a morning routine that eliminates distractions and gets me to focus
• Prioritize each day as to what needs to be accomplished today
• Take time to restore and rejuvenate each day

I have a huge problem with distractions. I have a very short attention span and I need to eliminate distractions in order to get things done in a timely fashion.

What to Look for in 2020?

There are now over 150 episodes of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Once a month I will replay the best of the best episodes and I have already selected the first 3 episodes.

I will resume publishing updated content every Wednesday morning. This will be updating blog posts written 4-5 years ago and bringing them up to date. I am using my focus word to rejuvenate old content.

The Career Pivot Community will launch in the coming months. You can get on the waiting list to join prelaunch cohorts.

Can You Help Me Get Focused?

If you would be so kind please take the 2020 Readers Survey and help me focus the website.

Help me implement my focus word by taking the survey and feel free to reach out to me to schedule a short call or just leave me a message.

Marc Miller  

Like What Your Read? Get Career Pivot Insights

Do You Need Help With ...

Check out our Help Center where you have access to 14 different content portals.