Volume 09, Issue 03 One Word Theme

I learnt about one word theme from a YouVersion Bible plan provided by the authors of "One Word" book, Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. I went on to download and read the one word action plan and a free chapter of the book from their web page that drove the point home. The concept is about using a word as a focus for the year rather than a long list of resolutions.

According to the authors, the one word is meant to replace resolutions and goals altogether but for me at this point, I found it useful as a tool to focus my goals. I decided on my one word theme and went on to use that as the stand point for each of my goals.

Your one word could be growth, respect, peace, purpose, passion, drive, focus, balance, life, courage, generous, go, thankful, intentional, love, discipline, intimacy, confidence, inspire, sparkle, joy, motivate, believe, commitment, explore, trust, shine, awesome, solid, etc. It may stem from what you struggled with in the previous year and want to get right this year. It may be what you want to attract in your life or how you want to show up in life this year. Whatever it is, when you decide on your one word for the year, it gives you more clarity, passion and focus for your life.

When I was doing this prayerfully, my mind wrestled with two words, growth and intentional. Although I was certain I wanted to grow in all my goal categories, I understood that the key component for me to grow is intention. I understood that what I lacked in previous years is a strong sense of intentionality to give me an 'omf' to go after the life that I want. I realized that I tend to step back into comfort and safety than move forward into growth. I went on to list the things I want to be intentional about and mirrored that into my goals.

From the study and living my one word theme so far, I concur with the authors that it brings simplicity and focus. It cuts through the distractions and keeps us focused on what really matters. For instance, if your one word is love, that is what would inform the goal categories you select, and thereafter steer you to pursue things that communicate love to you and others. You would identify the actions that you would take and the activities that you would engage in as well as the interactions you would avoid to make you feel loved or to express love to yourself and others.

The authors of this concept said that the one word theme stretches us in all areas of life. And if you have God help you identify your word, He would use your one word as a light and mirror - illuminating your path and revealing things that need to change. It facilitates a great journey of highs and lows, all designed to make you into the person you were created to be.

To me, one word theme is about simplifying life. I remember relating so well with a paragraph from the authors. This is what they said, "It's hard to simplify life. Narrowing the focus seems impossible. Over this past year you may have been asked several times, "How is it going?" Your response was probably something like, "I have been SO busy!" You never hear anyone say, "I have had so much time in my hands and I'm looking for something new to do". That person doesn't exist".

They went on to say, "You have tons of responsibilities and your schedule is crazy. You feel like you're sprinting in life. That's why we need to be intentional about clarifying and simplifying life. Embrace the simple discipline of developing just one word as a theme for the upcoming year". This is when I knew for sure that I needed this.

The point is to boil down your list of resolutions to one word, making it basic and simple. Your one word will have impact in all the six dimensions of your life: mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual and financial. Living out your word will keep you focused and prevent you from being distracted.

For optimal realization, the authors advised to keep your word front and center throughout the year. Tell your accountability partners and your family your word for the year. Write it in your journal. Post it in prominent places so you see it on a regular basis. Talk about it with your family at the dinner table. Create reminders for yourself. Do whatever it takes to keep it in focus and keep it fresh. What gets your attention gets your focus. What gets your focus gets done.

My addition is that you have your one word be one that whenever you see it or think about it, it illuminates your goals, such that you don't have goals that fall outside your one word theme. It should be a word that you can fit all your goals into. Let it feel like if someone were to use a magnifying glass to read your one word, they would see all your goals at a glance. As we live out our one word, let God use the simplicity of our one word themes to revolutionize our everyday lives.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi