A few reflective exercises to help your intention emerge
Creating a Word of the Year has been a personal and professional tradition for me since 2009, back when I first started training coaches. Over the years, this practice has gone through many iterations, shaped by thousands of conversations, workshops, and moments of real life application. What has remained constant is this insight, a strong Word of the Year works best when it is lived as a relationship rather than treated as a goal.
What I appreciate most about this practice is that its effectiveness is not accidental. While research does not study “Word of the Year” practices specifically, there is a substantial body of work in psychology and neuroscience that helps explain why choosing a single focus or guiding intention can be so powerful. Studies on attention and cognitive priming show that what we repeatedly hold in mind shapes perception, decision making, and behavior, often without requiring constant effort. A single word functions as a cue, quietly organizing how we notice, interpret, and respond to our experiences.¹
Research on self regulation and values based action further suggests that people are more consistent and resilient when their choices are organized around a small number of meaningful values rather than a long list of goals.² A Word of the Year acts as a values anchor, reducing decision fatigue and helping people return to what matters most when life becomes complex. Similarly, work on implementation intentions demonstrates that simple, repeatable cues improve follow through more reliably than elaborate plans.³ A word paired with a guiding question becomes a lightweight way to pause and choose intentionally in real time.
Taken together, this helps explain why the practice has endured for so many people over so many years. A Word of the Year focuses attention, reduces cognitive overload, supports values based decision making, and provides a coherent through line for reflection and growth over time. It does not demand perfection. It invites relationship.
What follows are some of my favorite exercises for creating a grounded, meaningful Word of the Year for yourself in 2026. You do not need to do all of them. One or two are often enough to let the right word surface.
I hope you enjoy these exercises as much as I’ve enjoyed putting them together and working through the research.
And by the way… my word for 2026 is…. FOCUS.
Look Back Before You Look Ahead
Before searching for a word, it helps to notice what the past year has already been teaching you.
Try journaling on these prompts:
- What moments from the past year carried the most energy, both positive and difficult?
- When did I feel most aligned with myself?
- When did I feel rushed, depleted, or off center?
- What patterns show up in how I responded to challenge?
As you write, notice repeated phrases or themes. Often your word is already present in the language you use to describe your experience.
Work With Tension, Not Aspiration
Many powerful words live in the space between what you are releasing and what you are inviting.
On a blank page, create two short lists.
What I am ready to release
- A habit, posture, or way of operating that no longer fits
- A pattern that feels overused or exhausting
What wants more room
- A quality I sense but do not yet fully trust
- A way of being I practice inconsistently but value deeply
Then ask yourself, what word might live between these two lists?
Create a Shortlist and Sit With It
Instead of searching for the perfect word immediately, give yourself options.
Write down five to seven possible words. Then narrow the list to two.
As you decide, consider:
- Which word feels sturdy rather than exciting?
- Which word challenges me in a useful way?
- Which word feels like it would keep me honest this year?
If one word feels slightly inconvenient, pay attention. That discomfort is often a sign that the word has something to teach you.
Define the Word in Your Own Language
A word becomes powerful when it has a personal meaning rather than a dictionary definition.
Complete this sentence:
This year, my word ________ means that I choose to…
Then reflect on:
- How do I make decisions when this word is present?
- What tends to happen when I forget this word?
Keep the language simple and concrete. Clarity matters more than elegance here.
Translate the Word Into Daily Life
To keep your word from becoming abstract, explore how it shows up in real situations.
Ask yourself:
- If I lived this word at work, what would change?
- If I lived this word in relationships, what would change?
- If I lived this word with myself, what would change?
From these reflections, name three to five observable behaviors your word invites.
Name What the Word Protects You From
Often a Word of the Year functions as a quiet guardrail.
Finish these prompts:
- This word protects me from…
- Without this word, I am likely to default to…
Seeing your word as support rather than self control makes it easier to return to it throughout the year.
Pair the Word With a Living Question
Questions keep a word active and responsive.
Create one question your word will ask you repeatedly:
- What would courage choose here?
- Where can I practice steadiness today?
- What does discernment ask of me in this moment?
Many people keep their word and question together in a journal, planner, or phone reminder.
Let the Word Be a Companion, Not a Goal
A Word of the Year is not something you complete or master. It is something you practice relating to over time.
If the word challenges you, resists you, or exposes old habits, it is doing its work.
Revisit it periodically. Notice where it shows up naturally and where it asks for more attention. Over time, the relationship you build with the word often matters more than the word itself.
References and Notes
- Bargh, J. A., & Chartrand, T. L. (1999). The unbearable automaticity of being. American Psychologist, 54(7), 462–479.
Research on priming and automaticity showing how salient concepts influence perception and behavior. - Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2007). Self regulation, ego depletion, and motivation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 115–128.
Research indicating that values based focus supports consistency and reduces cognitive strain.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Emphasizes values based action as a foundation for sustainable change. - Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.
Demonstrates how simple cues and intentions improve follow through. - McAdams, D. P. (2001). The psychology of life stories. Review of General Psychology, 5(2), 100–122.
Supports the idea that thematic coherence improves meaning making and well being.
