Ange sat across from me, her faced stressed with the worries of the day and her business.
"If you could name last year what would you name it?" I asked.
Without hesitation, Ange blurted out, "the year of the s##t show."
She told me about the political interference in her work, the trouble she had with her key employees, trouble with her main client and more. Ange was clearly frustrated. However, as we worked through the day on her plan for the coming year, she relaxed and brainstormed ideas that would allow her to change her business model slightly to compensate for the challenges she was facing.
At the end of the day I asked her, "What would you like to name this coming year, Ange?" Again, without hesitation she said, "Dave, I am going to name this year 'the year of opportunity'!"
Naming the year is something I learned from someone wiser than me. I have adopted it in my practice and used it for the past four years in creating a framework through which I can view the upcoming year. I write my name for the year down on a sticky note and paste it to my computer. It sits there all year and very few days go by when I don't look at it. I often catch myself thinking about the theme for the year and considering if I am succeeding in achieving it.
I have clients that name their year too. Some like Ange name it around something they would like to achieve, opportunity or success, some name it the year of love, relationships, caring, while others have personal names that are meaningful to them such as "the year of freedom," or "the year of blessings."
Science tells us that something happens in our brain when we write things down. There is something that happens when we remind ourselves of our goals and when we put our mental focus on achieving those goals. An internet search alleged that the most successful three per cent of the population owe their success to the habit of writing down their goals. Now I am not sure how they define successful and for many people success has nothing to do with money. The fact remains, however, that writing things down and keeping them in the forefront of your concentration for long periods of time produces results.
The year named opportunity has now come and gone for Ange. I wouldn't say it was a perfect year for her. There was still some political interference and her main client still gave her some trouble.
However, because she had framed the year differently, she looked for opportunities. Ange was able to hire someone to do the work she found mundane and overbearing. Because she was looking for opportunities, she found several that not only challenged her, but also helped her diversify her offerings. Ange sought out personal and professional opportunities that seemed to give her a more joyful perspective on life.
I have already named my year, written it down and pasted it on my computer. I am already thinking about how I can achieve that aspiration in the little things I do. I challenge you to think of a name for your upcoming year and write it down. Stick it somewhere that you are going to see it each and every day and consider throughout the year how it makes a difference for you.
-- Dave Fuller MBA, is an award-winning professional business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Got a great name for your year? Email [email protected]
