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Focus First, Then Goals Follow

As we jump into 2026, it’s natural to feel the pull toward goal-setting. Fresh planner pages, ambitious dreams, big to-do lists. Goals are not bad — they can be incredibly helpful. But here’s what I’ve learned again and again:

Goals are accomplished more consistently when your focus is clear.

Without an overall focus, goals become scattered. You can check boxes all year long and still feel like you’re drifting. You can even “win” on paper and lose in your spirit — because the goals weren’t connected to what mattered most. That’s why I love choosing a Word of the Year. A Word of the Year isn’t a cute slogan or a trendy theme. It’s a personal anchor. A filter. A steady, simple focus that helps you live the year you actually want to live.


Why a Word of the Year Works Better Than Goals Alone


Goals tell you what you want to do. A Word of the Year shapes who you want to become and how you want to live. Goals can be many. Focus needs to be one. When you choose one word, you’re choosing a direction. And direction changes everything.

A Word of the Year helps you:

  • Say yes to the right things (because you know what you’re aiming at)

  • Say no without guilt (because distractions don’t fit your focus)

  • Stay steady when motivation fades

  • Measure progress beyond productivity

  • Live aligned instead of merely busy

In other words, your word becomes the lens through which your goals are formed.


What a Word of the Year Is (and Isn’t)


A Word of the Year is:

  • A guiding theme for how you want to live

  • A compass for decisions

  • A mindset to practice

  • A reminder of what matters most

  • A way to center your growth


A Word of the Year is not:

  • A magic solution

  • A rigid rulebook

  • An excuse to avoid planning

  • A trendy Instagram caption (though it can look great there too!)

Think of it like the North Star. You still walk daily steps and set real goals, but your word keeps you heading the right way.


How to Choose Your Word for 2026


1. Look Back Before You Look Forward

Before asking, “What do I want next?” ask:

  • What did 2025 teach me?

  • What felt life-giving this year?

  • What drained me?

  • Where did I feel most aligned?

  • What was missing?

Sometimes the right word comes from noticing what you needed but didn’t have.

2. Ask What Matters Most Now

Not what matters most to everyone. Not what mattered five years ago. What matters most in this season.

Ask:

  • What kind of person do I want to be in 2026?

  • What do I want to feel more of?

  • What do I want to practice daily?

  • What do I want to protect?

Your word should serve your season — not your image.

3. Notice the Word That Keeps Nudging You

Often, one word will keep showing up: in books, conversations, prayers, journal entries, longings, even frustrations.

Pay attention to what keeps tapping you on the shoulder.

4. Choose a Word That Requires Growth

A good word stretches you, but doesn’t crush you.

Examples:

  • Peace might require boundaries.

  • Courage might require action.

  • Simplify might require letting go.

  • Presence might require slowing down.

  • Delight might require noticing goodness again.

If your word feels too easy, it might not be your word. If it feels too heavy, it might need refining.

5. Write Your Word Where You’ll See It

Don’t just pick it — plant it.

Put it in:

  • your planner

  • your phone lock screen

  • a sticky note on your mirror

  • the front page of your journal

  • your workspace

  • Or Come to the Paint Your Word Night at LH

You want it visible enough to become automatic.

How to Live Your Word (This Is the Key)

Choosing the word is the easy part. The real impact comes from practicing it.

1. Define What Your Word Means to You

Your word has to be personal.

For example: If your word is “Cultivate,” ask:

  • What am I cultivating?

  • In what areas?

  • What does that look like daily?

Write a short sentence: “My word for 2026 is ________. In 2026, I will practice ________ so that I become ________.”

2. Create 3 Supporting Intentions

Not 20 goals. Just 3 simple intentions that align with your word.

Example: Word = “Health” Intentions:

  • Move my body 4 days a week

  • Eat in a way that supports energy

  • Rest without apology

Example: Word = “Connect” Intentions:

  • Reach out to one friend weekly

  • Plan monthly family nights

  • Be fully present in conversations

Intentions are broad enough to shape your year, but specific enough to guide your behaviors.

3. Use Your Word as a Filter for Every “Yes”

Before committing, ask:

“Does this support my word?”

If the answer is no, it might still be a good thing — just not your thing for 2026.

4. Check In Monthly

Once a month, take 10 minutes and ask:

  • How am I doing living my word?

  • Where did I drift?

  • What helped me stay aligned?

  • What do I need to adjust?

This prevents the common pattern of choosing something meaningful in January and forgetting it by March.

5. Let Your Word Shape Your Goals

Here’s the order that changes everything:

  1. Word

  2. Intentions

  3. Goals

  4. Daily habits

You still set goals, but they flow from your focus.

When your focus is right, goals become clearer, simpler, and more achievable — because they’re aligned with what matters.

Examples of Words (In Case You Need a Spark)

Here are a few to consider. Don’t pick one because it sounds nice — pick one because it fits your season.

  • Align

  • Simplify

  • Courage

  • Steady

  • Delight

  • Presence

  • Restore

  • Grow

  • Trust

  • Lead

  • Create

  • Release

  • Heal

  • Serve

  • Flourish

  • Boundaries

  • Consistency

  • Listen

  • Joy

  • Brave

  • Experiences (My word for 2025)

Sometimes the best word is the one that makes you breathe deeper when you say it.

You Don’t Need a Perfect Plan — You Need the Right Focus

If you’ve ever ended a year thinking, “I did a lot… but I’m not sure it was what mattered most,” then a Word of the Year can change everything. It doesn’t add pressure. It adds clarity. And clarity is what creates momentum. So as you step toward 2026, don’t start by asking what you want to accomplish. Start by asking: “What do I want to focus on so I become who I’m called to be?” Your word will help you live the answer.


If you want, tell me what words you’re considering and a bit about the season you’re in — I’d love to help you narrow it to the one that fits.


I'd love to walk along side you on the journey. Please reach out.

I look forward to chatting with you soon!

Kris

Complimentary Discovery Session or To Book Your Next Session: https://calendly.com/kris-dbc


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