If you’ve ever set New Year’s resolutions only to let them fall by February, you’re not alone. Many of us fall into the trap of lists, checkboxes and detailed goals – and then burn out. Yet over the past two decades of entrepreneurship, creativity, and personal growth, I’ve discovered a simple but powerful alternative that has consistently transformed my years: choosing one word as a guiding principle.
Today might be the perfect moment to reflect and decide your word for 2026.
This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about clarity, focus, and meaning. It’s about giving your attention a North Star for the year ahead. And based on research in goal science and psychology, this simple technique can truly make a difference.
Below, I’ll share what it is, why it works, how to choose your word, and how you can use it to shape your best year ever.
Why One Word? The Science Behind Focus
At its core, choosing a single word for a year is a form of intentional goal-setting, but simplified to its essence. Traditional goals often ask us to name outcomes, timelines, milestones, and metrics all at once. A single word strips away complexity and focuses on an overarching orientation for your year. Research into goal science supports the idea that clear goals improve focus and persistence: specific, meaningful goals increase motivation and performance when compared with vague intentions.
Psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham’s foundational Goal-Setting Theory explains that goals direct attention, effort, and persistence toward activities related to desired outcomes – and consistent engagement with goals leads to higher performance.
While the “one word” approach itself hasn’t been studied extensively in formal academic research yet, broader evidence about simplifying focus, aligning intention, and writing down intentions suggests that less clutter and more clarity help the brain prioritize effectively. One study found that when people write down specific goals and share their progress with others, they are up to 33% more likely to achieve them than if they don’t.
In addition, neuroscience research shows that goal pursuit engages executive functions – the brain’s planning, decision-making and behavior-regulation systems. Clear goals activate neural networks that support sustained effort and long-term adaptation.
So while choosing one word might sound simple, there’s solid psychological grounding behind why such simplicity helps:
- It centers your attention on what matters.
- It reduces cognitive overload that comes from juggling multiple targets.
- It creates a framework for daily decisions and behaviors without rigid prescriptions.
My Journey With One Word – A Personal Reflection
I’ve chosen focus words several times over the past 20 years, and each time, the impact has been profound – not because the word magically did anything, but because it shaped how I thought, acted, and made choices.
Year 1: “Be the Best” – The Launch Year
About 20 years ago, I chose my first guiding word: “BEST.”
I didn’t choose it just because it sounded inspiring – I chose it because I wanted everything I did that year to reflect excellence.
I was launching my first agency. I was building my first website. I was immersed in late nights, early mornings, and growth by sheer will. That year, I didn’t just build my business – I transformed my entire professional identity.
And something unexpected happened on the personal side: I met my husband.
Looking back, I realize that being fully present, fully committed, and fully engaged drew in the right opportunities – both professional and personal.
That year’s word didn’t map to a list of 50 weekly goals. It shaped how I spoke, acted, chose clients, invested in myself, and spent my time. Every decision – even small ones – was weighed against “Am I choosing the best?”
Another Year: “Growth” – Learning to Evolve
Some years later, I chose “GROWTH.”
This wasn’t about scaling revenue (though that happened too) – it was about expanding capacity, insight, and capability.
I invested in coaching, business programs, and intentionally sought out mentors who challenged me. I read more widely, experimented more boldly, and stopped doing things that didn’t align with learning.
Growth became a lens through which I evaluated opportunities:
- Would this expand me?
- Would this push me further?
- Would this give me a new perspective?
Yes, it cost time and effort. And yes, it shifted my thinking in ways that still inform my work today.
Three Years Ago: “Optimization” – Work Smarter, Not Harder
When I first read the 15-Minute Year-End Ritual, I was struck by one idea: letting go of what no longer served. I combined that with a personal focus word for the year: “OPTIMIZE.” (You can read the full ritual here.)
I wanted to make more money, but work less.
That wasn’t a cliché. It was a real, measurable intention – and it happened.
I audited every system I used, every process in my business, every tool I spent money on. I questioned every repeat task: Does this have to be manual? Does this have to be me? I automated, delegated, and built frameworks I now use for clients.
And you know what happened? I did work less – but with higher clarity, lower stress, and higher income. All because I stayed anchored by one word that helped me ask the right questions.
What Does a Year’s Word Actually Do?
A guiding word isn’t a goal in the traditional sense – it’s a framework.
Here’s how it works in practice:
1. It Creates a Mental Filter
Every decision – big or small – gets checked against your word.
If your word is “SIMPLER” you ask: Does this reduce friction in my life or add to it?”
If it adds complexity, stress, or unnecessary effort, you pause, simplify, or choose a different path.
“Simpler” works because most of what exhausts us isn’t hard – it’s complicated. Too many commitments. Too many options. Too many expectations that were never consciously chosen. When simplicity becomes your filter, you start removing friction instead of adding pressure. You say no more often, streamline routines, and create space for what actually matters. Over time, life feels lighter – not because you’re doing less of what’s important, but because you’ve stopped carrying what never was.
This is cognitive simplification in action. The brain hates ambiguity and thrives on self-consistent cues. When you give it a single cue – your year’s word – it becomes easier to make decisions faster and with confidence.
This mirrors what neuroscientists call cue-action loops in habit formation – linking a simple cue to consistent behavior reduces cognitive load and increases intentional action.
2. It Reduces Mental Clutter
Instead of juggling 10 priorities, your focus word becomes a North Star.
For many of my clients, traditional goals felt like a “to-do list with deadlines” – stressful, rigid and easy to abandon. A single word, however, allows flexibility while still guiding behavior.
That aligns with research on goal simplification: simpler, clearer goals often outperform complex, multi-part plans because they minimize cognitive overload and maintain direction.
3. It Anchors Emotional and Behavioral Patterns
Words have emotional resonance.
Whether you choose “GRIT,” “BALANCE,” “COURAGE,” or “SIMPLIFY,” the meaning of the word influences how you feel about your actions. Positive emotional states like determination are linked to perseverance toward goals, even when challenges arise.
Wikipedia
That alignment between emotion and intention keeps you engaged on days when motivation might have otherwise faded.
How to Choose Your One Word for 2026
Choosing your word should feel intuitive, meaningful, and actionable. And it should not be something forced.
For me, it was always something that just felt right. The first time I did this, I did not even know the process behind it. I did it intuitively. It represented me.
Here’s a step-by-step process to help you:
Step 1: Reflect on 2025
Ask yourself:
- What worked?
- What didn’t?
- Where did I lose energy?
- Where did I feel most alive?
Jot down themes – not goals – but qualities you want more of.
Step 2: Identify Patterns of Desire
Look at your reflections and ask:
- Do I want growth?
- Do I want balance?
- Do I want simplicity?
- Do I need more focus?
Choose a word that resonates at the core of what you want.
You can also think of what you will want to have one year from now. That may help make the guiding word clearer.
Step 3: Test the Word
Write it down. Say it aloud. Let it sit with you for a few days.
If it feels uplifting, clear, and energizing – you’ve probably got a good one.
Step 4: Anchor It in Your Environment
Put your word where you’ll see it:
- Desktop wallpaper
- Morning journal
- Phone lock screen
- Sticky note on the fridge
This constant, low-effort reminder cues your brain to align daily actions with your intention.
But the most important part is to feel that it represents and guides you. If it is representative for you, then you will see that your actions, decisions, behaviour, etc. will align.
Examples of Powerful Words (and How They Work)
Here are some guiding words popular among entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, and changemakers – and what they can do for you:
FOCUS
Sharpen attention on what truly matters.
People with high clarity of goals stick with tasks longer and are more likely to achieve outcomes.
SIMPLIFY
Less noise, more substance.
Eliminate complexity in systems, schedules, and commitments.
BALANCE
Prioritize well-being alongside productivity.
GROW
Invest in learning, experience, and capacity expansion.
LETTING GO
Release what doesn’t serve your future success.
My own experience with “Optimization” was tied deeply to letting go – of habits, processes, and tasks that no longer aligned.
COURAGE
Step into discomfort – essential for breakthrough growth.
What Happens When You Actually Use Your Word All Year
Your word becomes more than a motto. It becomes a lens:
- It reshapes decisions – limiting distractions that don’t align.
- It strengthens habits – by triggering intention in small moments.
- It rewires your mindset – because the words you choose shape the stories you tell yourself.
While research on word-focused goal setting specifically is still emerging, decades of social and cognitive psychology support the central idea: Clarity matters. Intentionality drives action. And simplifying focus enhances persistence and performance.
Your Word for 2026
As you reflect on this, ask yourself:
What do I want more of in 2026? What do I want less of? What principle can guide my attention without overwhelming it?
Your word doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t need to explain it to anyone. It simply needs to resonate with your intention.
2026 could be the year you finally stop battling your to-do list and start living your priorities. The difference between a year that happens to you and one you shape might just come down to one word.
Now choose yours.
