Master Your Year with One Word: The Ultimate Focus Hack
Article #120 of Life Unlocked - A newsletter by Dr Yath Prem, MD
Dear Friends,
As we stand one month into the new year, many of us find ourselves caught in the familiar cycle of failed resolutions. But what if there were a more powerful, sustainable way to shape our years and, by extension, our lives? Enter the concept of the "Word of the Year", which I have been following for the last six years.
Imagine distilling your entire year's aspirations, goals, and focus into a single, powerful word. This isn't about creating a long list of resolutions; it's about setting an overarching theme that guides your decisions, actions, and growth throughout the year. The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and flexibility. Your word becomes a North Star, gently guiding you back on course when life inevitably throws its curveballs.
Let me take you through my personal experience with this transformative practice. Two years ago, in 2023, my focus was on life milestones. It was a whirlwind of major life events for me, so my word for 2023 was "life":
Getting married (hello, married life!)
Wrapping up my foundation years as a doctor
Taking the plunge into homeownership
These milestones required intense focus on administrative tasks, planning, and execution. Having a theme kept me grounded and reminded me of the bigger picture when I felt distracted or saw my attention being pulled towards something that didn’t quite align with this vision.
Last year, I shifted gears. After the hustle of 2023, my focus turned to "rejuvenation":
Nurturing our newly married life
Settling into our new home and making it feel like home
Recharging my batteries and finding balance
The dual focus on relationships and rejuvenation was about creating a strong foundation for future growth while also taking care of myself and resetting.
This brings us to the present year, 2025. This year, I’m setting my sights on “health”:
Improving physical markers (BMI, cholesterol, etc.)
Building strength in the gym and increasing my VO2 max
Cultivating mental resilience and emotional strength
The power of focusing on one word extends beyond personal growth. It can influence your relationships, career, and overall life satisfaction. As you align your actions with your chosen theme, you may find yourself making more intentional choices and experiencing a greater sense of purpose. I genuinely believe you make much better progress by locking in and focusing on one thing rather than spreading yourself thin and trying to juggle multiple goals at once.
Here are some tips on selecting your word for the year:
Reflect: Which area of your life needs the most attention?
Visualise: What does your life look like by the end of the year?
Brainstorm: List potential words that resonate with your vision.
Commit: Choose one, write it down, and get to work.
The year is still young, so I challenge you to choose your word. What theme will define your year?
Have a great week,
Dr Yath Prem, MD
Quote of the week:
“In any situation in life, you always have three choices: you can change it, you can accept it, or you can leave it.” — Naval Ravikant
Recommendation of the week:
Perplexity AI - If you’re looking for a great all-rounder LLM this will be it. With its addition of the Deepseek R1 model (hosted in the US), it can use the best model for your query (by itself or by your choice). I have a Pro account and at the moment seriously considering giving up my ChatGPT Plus subscription. My link gives you $10 off a Pro subscription.
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