How a 'word of the year' can support your leadership values and behaviours.

For the last four or five years, I’ve chosen a single word at the start of each new calendar year, with the intention of that word providing an ‘anchor’ for the year.

It’s very much an exercise along the lines of ‘what you focus on, expands’. I don’t really use the word to set goals or anything; it’s more about getting clear on what’s really important to me at that point in my life, and the energy I want to bring to the year in order to honour those priorities and my leadership values and behaviours.

Here were my words for the last four years:

2021 - Open

2020 - Nurture

2019 - Wealth

2018 - Strength

When I reflect back on how the word has come alive over a period of 12 months, there are always surprises.

For example, in 2019 (‘Wealth’) my business turnover was significantly lower than 2021 (‘Open’). This prompted a re-examination of what I mean by Wealth, which has actually been really healthy and productive for me in many ways

At this point, I imagine that the question on everyone’s lips is “WHAT’S YOUR WORD FOR 2022 VSM???? WE MUST KNOW!!!”

Well, the wait is over. My word of the year is (drum roll):

VITAL(ITY)

See what I did there???? What a wordsmith, eh?

I’ve chosen the word ‘Vital(ity)’ in order to connect me to two distinct priorities:

1/ My physical health

This has probably been a theme for the last decade, but I’ve never managed to consistently look after my physical health in the same way as I’ve obsessed over my emotional health and my personal/professional development. I am a highly self-motivated person in many ways, but not so much when it comes to health. Even fairly serious health conditions such as early menopause (which I went through in my twenties) have been ignored - I’m only now starting to seriously address my hormonal deficiencies.

The motivation for this priority is my energy levels. I want to live a full and adventurous life well into my 70s and 80s, and as I turn 40 later this year, I recognise the need to focus my attention on my health and vitality.

2/ Stripping life back to that which is vital

I feel like life gets more complex and multi-faceted every year.

As my business grows, so do the different directions in which I could take it. It’s easy for me to slide into comparison and lose sight of the work I can do that is most impactful and uniquely ‘for me’.

As our household income increases and we adjust to no longer living in a small flat, the temptation to buy shi*t we don’t need or want increases.

As our family matures from a young(ish) couple with a little baby, to a couple who’ve been together for a decade with a school-age child, we need to navigate how to ensure that three distinct individuals all feel valued.

There’s an ever-increasing variety of things pulling for our attention - 24 hour news, endless content, too many books, new ways of living and working and making money, this bloody phone.

Amongst all of this noise and choice and uncertainty, I want the word ‘Vital(ity)’ as a reminder to focus on what really matters to me. To clear out the extraneous stuff - possessions, distractions, activities, business avenues - in order to have the space to make conscious decisions about where I allocate my resources or time, money, energy and attention.

I’d love to hear your ‘word of 2022’, if you’ve chosen one, and what it means to you?

And if you’ve never heard of this exercise, feel free to give it a go!