How to find your 2019 Word of the Year {Free Printable}

How do you feel about goal setting, friend?

I quit making New Year’s Resolutions, because I could never keep it up for long. Honestly, sometimes setting goals feels very similar, especially since we tend to make our goals year by year.

Anyone else??

But on the flip side, when I don’t set any goals, I don’t have a clear picture of what I want to work towards. I get distracted by all the shiny new ideas that come along, and feel overwhelmed by all the options and I end up just drifting and not making any progress at all. So, I definitely think I need to have goals.

A couple years ago I was introduced to the “Word of the Year” concept, and it is my favorite way to set goals now. My word of the year acts as an anchor, a touchstone — the only word that I have to remember and filter every big decision past.

But, I don’t want to pick a word out of the air that has no deeper meaning for my life and what I want to accomplish. This year, I followed an actual goal setting method and my word of the year came out of that. I also made a printable graphic to highlight my word and hang it up in my office as a reminder for the year. Since these things have been helpful for me, I want to share them with you!

The method

I heard this from Steph Crowder at the 2017 Maker City Summit in Knoxville, but she also shares about it here on the Fizzle Podcast. I highly encourage you to check out their blog post for more details, but here’s the gist:

1. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Dream on paper everything you want to do in the next year. Don’t edit yourself, just brain dump!
2. Flip the page. Make two lists. On the left, list what worked and on the right, list what didn’t work last year. Looking back can help us look ahead!
3. What are you going to say “no” to, and what are you going to say “yes” to? This is where you can let go of the things that are no longer working for you.
4. Then, look at everything you’ve done so far, and make 10 goals. Write down the goal, the why, and some mini steps to accomplish each one. The idea is to set 5 personal and 5 professional goals, but I only have 5 total. They were pretty big goals for me, so I thought it was better to stop at 5. The why is what will help you stick to your goals when things get tough!
5. Then, looking back on everything, is there a word that floats to the top? This is the word that can tie everything together and help you stay on track. My word for 2019 is PERSIST.

Again, Steph goes into more details on the blog/podcast, so I highly suggest you check it out! Then when you’ve got your word, you can download my free gift to you! Use the Word of the Year 2019 printable so you can write your word and stay inspired.

Download your free printable here

If you need more help goal-setting help, I also recommend checking out Cultivate What Matters and The Next Right Thing Podcast to get started. Cultivate What Matters has a suite of products to help you set goals and reach them, as well as a great blog. I have never used the Powersheets personally, but a lot of my favorite people do and rave about them! The Next Right Thing Podcast by Emily P. Freeman isn’t specifically about goal-setting, but has been invaluable to me personally. Emily offers wonderful advice and tips to help me clear my head and make space for what matters.

I hope this free printable helps you keep your goals front and center, and that your year is full of great things!