Power of Words for 2022 - Ask for Directions

(Three Words is a Practice started by Author Chris Brogan)

One of the people I follow is Chris Brogan – who has a unique approach to writing that I appreciate. One of his practices has been to identify 3 words to guide the upcoming year. And of course he encourages others to take up the practice as well to find personal and powerful words that will guide them in the next year. It’s important that they have personal meaning and it’s important that there are three. (After all we’re multi-dimensional beings with many facets).

I didn’t formulate three words for 2021 – and I have forgotten my efforts for 2020 in light of a pandemic that keeps on upsetting the world.

While I know that we’re a little past the start of the year, unexpected changes we began to face at the end of 2021 have inspired me to take a little more thought before I re-commit to the words that will support my own mindfulness in 2022, I would mull over the motivation behind the words to set myself a goal that will uplift the future with positive intentions. Perhaps setting an intention for something different will help dispel the heaviness around what feels like the same old, same old of two years past.

So, looking at the evolution of my words…

My first pass included “R” words: “reinvention” (although frankly I’m tired of the idea) and “relentless”. On first blush, “relentless” doesn’t seem quite uplifting enough, although I didn’t remove it from my list of possibilities right away because it was very important to me. When I was diagnosed with not one – but two different kinds of breast cancer, over 8 years ago, just 5 months after taking over my original training business, my faith that I would be well was relentless. And “faith” – whether it’s having faith in ourselves, or a greater being is being tested right now, and I wonder how strongly it is enduring?

I also considered “resilience” because although it has been used over and over again, along with words like: “unprecedented” and “pivot”, “resilience” is still a state of being to which we can aspire. In the model I’m building to deal with adversity, based on how I have overcome major life setbacks (while I maintain my sense of humour and hope) – the three mindset principles that I believe are critical for coming back from setbacks are: perseverance, patience and positivity.

So now about halfway into January, I have concluded that I need to draw on both my perseverance to weather this next year, as well as hopefulness to reach for greater goals. I’ve decided my 3 words will be:

Patience, faith and inspiration.

Patience in this case is not patience with our business and life – but rather, patience with ourselves in our efforts to maintain equilibrium in a still changing world

Faith that we will find growth and stability eventually

… and the inspiration to find our next steps.

How do you feel about setting intentions for the future? Will you join me in focusing your future?

Will you join us?

I’m going to take these words into a Strategy Brainstorming session that is for entrepreneurs to share their ideas, and research into what 2022 may look like. I’d like to bring the power of community knowledge and experience to our goal setting and plans for 2022.

Join us Wednesday January 19th at 7:00 pm (EST) over Zoom (of course). Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZEqcOGuqD0uHtA1KuZ2ahubXqARU… After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Patricia Dent

Business Mentor & CEO at Grow Vantage & Ask For Directions Training

Patricia is the Business Mentor and owner of Grow Vantage and a Past President of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. She applies over 30 years of business experience (from start-up to corporate) to mentor entrepreneurs. Since 2011, she has held over 6,500 coaching and training sessions in-person and online. Through Ask For Directions Training, her entrepreneurial training program (and parent company Grow Vantage), and as a business coach, she works with start-ups who are new (or who have lost traction) to design, launch and grow their businesses. Along with 20 other expert instructors she teaches strategies in marketing, sales, communications, and finance, as well as practical techniques to increase productivity, and manage their businesses. In other words, everything entrepreneurs need to learn to grow and run their businesses successfully, and avoid the costly mistakes they can't even see coming - that lead to delays in growth and getting stuck.