Three Powerful Practices to Find Your Theme

by Cam Taylor | Leave a Comment

I’m a big fan of setting goals, taking action, and forming habits that get you to your destination. I’m always learning new ways to think about this and live a life on purpose and with impact.

One structure I’ve used the last few years to go with my planning process is to come up with a theme for the year – also know as finding your ONEWORD.

This year, I hadn’t got around to picking a theme…until this week.

My theme selection came more as an aha moment, not as something I deliberately planned.

Three Practices to Discover Your Theme for the Year

1. Get quiet and ask yourself these three questions

What do I need?
What’s in my way?
What needs to go?

This process is best done with a pen and paper in hand. That way you can write your answers, then step back and look for patterns and common words that emerge.

2. Look at what you’ve written and watch for that theme to lift off the page

Seeing what you need and where you need to grow is often a good place to look. What significant change do you want to make in your relationships, work, career, learning, spiritual life? Who do you want to become?

Pick the theme that rises to the surface. Don’t pick them all – focus on one. Look at your opportunities, gifts and challenges as another place to find your theme.

3. Post your theme in a place you will see with one key behavior you can focus on to live it out.

Make your theme visible so you don’t forget it. Think of a key behavior that will help you take action in the change or growth you want to see.

My theme for 2018 – LISTEN

This year I want to become a better listener. I’ve gotten lazy and too rushed in my conversations. Even though I listen for a living, I need to grow in this area.

The behavior I’ve identified to help me become a better listener is to STOP INTERRUPTING. Having just one behavior to focus on will help me take those baby steps to improvement.

Now it’s your turn

Set aside some time this week to pick a theme for 2018. Do it for the purpose of continuing to grow and improve yourself. Not only will you notice a positive difference, but those around you will also.

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Cam Taylor