And why it matters…
A power word is actually a whole concept you choose as a motto to guide you and motivate you through the year.
It needs to be specific though comprising a big and powerful meaning.
I am sure many of you have already used power words in previous years, if this is the case, you are familiar with the process, however, I´d like to give you a few more tips to make it even more powerful.
First of all, the reason why this system works so well is founded in the perception we have of a word or concept and on the associations we give it.
It is therefore objective on the one hand but very strongtly subjective on the other. Let me explain: the meaning a word has in the dictionary is the objective aspect of it its definition. The added meaning we have of that word comes from our exposure to that word, our experiences and feelings towards it; as you can see, this is the subjective aspect of a word.
Hence the importance of choosing a word that speaks to you, it might not be the mainstream meaning, but it is the one that comprises the most complete sense and value to you.
Let´s take the word “INSPIRE”, which was my word for 2016 , for instance.
This is its definition:
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
inspire /ɪnˈspaɪə/vb
1. to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); animate or invigorate
2. (tr; followed by with or to; may take an infinitive) to arouse (with a particular emotion or to a particular action); stir
3. (transitive) to prompt or instigate; give rise to
4. (tr; often passive) to guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration
5. to take or draw (air, gas, etc) into the lungs; inhale
6. (transitive) archaic to breathe into or upon
Etymology: 14th Century (in the sense: to breathe upon, blow into): from Latin inspīrāre, from spīrāre to breathe
And although that could be good enough of a concept, right? To me it embodies all these additional meanings:
– To be able to awaken an interest of some kind in a person, that it will change the course of their life.
– To encourage in such a way, it is impossible not to follow through (with any given project or course, in particular).
– To open up a new world of possibilities for someone.
– To make an impactful change in the world and the life of a person or persons.
– To infuse a passion for something.
– To teach from the heart, supported by mind (in my role as a teacher).
I could actually go on quite a bit, but I think you get the idea!
Now, how do you choose a power word?
– Some people like to do it through meditation
– I also like to recommend using a thesaurus to help you define the exact term that speaks to you, we all have a personal perception of a term, so choosing wisely will ensure the word acts in your favour. Unless you do this step thoroughly, you won´t be taking advantage of all the power the word has on your motivational levels and therefore on your performance.
– If you have chosen a word the previous year, you can amplify that concept and bring it into the new year or you can complement it with another word in order to magnify its power.
– You might want to use a “trilogy”, for instance, your first year in business, your goal might be “Setting the foundations” , the following year you might want to gain “Visibility” and your third year into business might make you want to focus on “Expansion” , please note these are just examples, I am not a business coach!
After choosing your word you need to sit with it for some time, a few days will do.
-Feel into it
-Does it light you up?
-Does it really match the stage you are at in life or biz?
-Is it the best way you could describe your big goal for the new year?
If so, great you are now ready for the next step.
If not, repeat the process as many times as you need to until you find your word.
After all, you are going to be seeing it and feeling it (that is actually the point) for a whole year, so make sure you are 100% in love with it.
Yes, you can obviously change it later on, but it´s better if you start with the right foot, it will save you time ad it will start working in your favour sooner.
In some cases, you might want to choose two or more words and appoint them to different semesters, quarters…it might just make more sense to you or your business.
The next step is what I love teaching and doing for my clients, it is what makes all the difference.
Think of all the images and colours that come to you when you think about your word.
You can translate those into a physical representation– print it or save it to your computer and look at it often, the power of the word is now enhanced by your subjective perception + your own colour and images associations.
This step is probably the most fascinating.
I also like to do my own little secret ritual to infuse intention into that word- but that´s a whole new post!
I would love to now your word for 2017 and how are you planning on making it work for you.
Melanie x
Would you like help finding or confirming your word?
After this Experience, you will have your perfect Power Word and the powerful images you need to really make it work.
Keep your Motivation and Focus at their maximum level all year long.
Get the full power of your word here.
Originally published at medium.com