It is my intention setting time where I choose
“3 Words to Guide Me in 2020”.
This intention setting process of choosing 3 words takes a few months of processing and pondering. I spent some time at my last retreat reviewing my journals to see what types of things I was writing about and thinking about. As I listened to the news, podcasts, YouTube videos, TedTalks, read the paper and books, I paid attention to which words or themes were jumping out to me.
It’s interesting that most of my words seem to simmer to the surface rather than jump out at me. The power of simply thinking about things to create an intention setting framework in my day is important.
Recently, I met with a new business coach for a complimentary session as I am thinking about starting that up again, and she required that I answer some thought-provoking questions before we met. That helped simmer more thoughts.
I am also looking to update my website as I have outgrown mine over the past 10 years and that person also asked many questions about where I want to be in 3-5 years, which also helped me “simmer more thoughts” leading to my intention setting for 2020.
Here are my 3 words for the past four years which helped me set my intentions daily throughout the year.
2016 – Health ★ Mindfulness ★ Focus
2017 – Intentional ★ Authentic ★ Wellness
2018 – Reach ★ Capacity ★ Consistency
2019 – Gratitude ★ Purposeful ★ Reflection
My Three Intention Setting Words for 2020
Philanthropy
I ended 2019 with giving a young man 3 complimentary sessions which carry over into 2020. I had been thinking about the word “giving” and he came along and needed some help making his next career move. I love the feeling of being able to give back to my community in some way. This is a great start for my word ‘philanthropy’.
Definition: Goodwill to fellow members of the human race. An act or gift done, or made, for humanitarian purposes. Altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement.
When I looked up the definition of philanthropy I found it meant more than giving money. As I look to 2020, I want to give more of my time, energy, and resources this year. If just feels right…which is how I choose my words. It has to “feel right”.
Rebalance
I love what I do and I love to share lots of free career content across a variety of platforms and mediums. One thing I want to do is to identify the areas that are having the biggest impact and keep doing them. For those things I do that have limited impact, I will reduce or remove. I am also trying to rebalance my work week to be closer to a 32 hour week compared to the 40+ I have worked over the past 10 years. I want to consider how and where I spend my time daily.
Strategic
I knew last year my effort and energy (and resources) were going to my book. This year I want to be more strategic with my efforts. Not the least of which is to update my website. It was done 10 years ago and tweaked 3 years ago, but I’ve really outgrown it. This is just one example of me being more strategic. I also want to identify new markets to make a presence in, like New Brunswick and Ottawa, National College Transition Network (which I attended in November), and more.
Have you chosen 3 words to guide you?
Have you created goals for 2020?
If so, please share them here.
Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly career news email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching. He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move
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Hi Jim, I always like reading your New Year’s piece. I always do a phrase which this year was five words but can condense it to three: manifesting, abundance, joy. May we all manifest our three words joyfully!
Thanks so much Karen. I love the idea of a phrase. No matter how you do it, this exercise is all about setting intentions. The more we think about specific words or phrases, the more they will have an impact on our energy and focus.
I love the word “joy”. It is a word that makes you smile as you say it 🙂
Happy 2020, Jim! My three words for the new year are:
Worthy
Wholehearted
Energy
Hope to see you at NCDA this year.
Claire
Thanks Claire. Can you share what these words mean to you?
(Yes, you will see me at NCDA)
Happy new year! Thanks again for sharing your words. Mine this year is: “Guts.” It’s growing partly out of a need to change my diet, doctors orders, and I’m working with a nutritionist who is teaching me intuitive eating. I’m literally trying to trust my gut more, and think about how I can help my career clients trust theirs more. It also has that double meaning, being brave, having the guts to try new things this year in my career coaching practice, even if they’re a bit kooky. Here’s to a gutsy new year! And kudos to you for rebalancing the workload. I still think its gutsy to share that goal in our workaholic culture.
Thank you so much Meredith for jumping in on this discussion.
Intuition is SO important in our lives and our work. I love your choice of “Guts” for a word. Instincts are what have kept humankind alive for years…why wouldn’t it still be important in this data driven society? 🙂
I’d love to hear how this word plays out for you in 2020.
Hi Jim, Joyful New Year! The three words I’ve chosen to remind me of what’s important this year are:
Authenticity
Focus
Courage
Thanks for encouraging us to participate!
Kathie
Kathie, nice to hear from you.
Authentic was one of my words in the past – I love that word as it reminds me to true to myself
Focus was also a past word for me and similar to my current word “Strategic”. Again, this reminds me to not “chase tennis balls in the room” and to do the things that need to get done.
I love your 3rd choice “Courage” – Can you talk about what this means to you?
I watched the interview on this topic as well and just really love this. It took me a bit to figure out mine. I chose
Significant: I want to Intentionally make a positive difference in someone else’s life personal and professional. Be informative, relevant and add value.
Dare: I want to be brave and put myself out there, speak up, sit at the table, take chances. Have courage, be imaginative, and act.
Rise: I want to bring every action up: positive attitude (raising others up as well), raise quality, persevere and rise to the challenges both professionally and personally.
Thank you so much for sharing Dina. It takes me a few months typically to let words “simmer” and “speak to me”.
I love your choices and what they mean to you!
Feels like this post is part of your “Dare” word – to put yourself out there and speak up.
All three words have some “positivity” to them. If you’ve not done this before, I’ll be curious to hear how these words emerge throughout the year. I know my words evolve over the year as I write about them and think about them.