Feeling the need for a change, and a lack of discipline, I’ve decided to drop the 11-month journey.

Instead of writing a new 1/2 year’s resolution, I’ve decided to have a focus word instead. What is a focus word for the 1/2 year? A focus word is a single word that summarizes what need I want to focus on, or what I need to improve on. It might be a theme or overarching focus for the year ahead. Hopefully, it will provide an anchor and encourage me to both consciously and subconsciously consider this focus when making decisions.

Once I’ve considered how this past 1/2 year has been, what can I improve on, keep doing, or do differently for the remainder of the 1/2 year? Once I’ve answered those, I can determine what my focus word for the remaining half of 2022 will be:

Discipline

I have dropped the groundhog resolution and journey initiatives. I have decided to pivot towards a more simpler goal and focus- a word of the year challenge.

I think that without achieving personal discipline, your efforts at anything else you attempt could fail. Self-discipline will free me up to pursue other personal goals. Self-discipline allows us to do things that are difficult or unpleasant without anyone else pushing you. It was this lack of self-discipline that has allowed me to fail in several attempts in the previous years. Here are some thoughts and goals towards disciplining myself better.

Plan what areas in my life that need discipline

Start small with mini goals

I need to remove any temptations or triggers

Plan and schedule the day

Set up reminders

Exercise frequently

Be decisive and committed (easier typed then done)

Start developing those good habits

Give myself a reward

Make myself accountable

Build in breaks or steps to get back to when I fail

I’ll not share these areas of disciplined focus here just yet. No, this is for me. I do intend to share successes, but probably over on the Micro page in short format rather than long-form posts here.

As with all new endeavors, I’ll be cautiously optimistic. But the truth is I need this and I want this. You can’t achieve goals without discipling yourself first. I’ve failed a few times, but focusing on discipline and overcoming those failures will free me up to achieve other goals and a new focus word for 2023.