A few years ago, when Coach Tom Allen stepped on to the scene as the Indiana Football Coach, his priority was to change the culture. His belief was, get the players to buy into a culture of team first and then winning together would become more attainable. One way he did that was through this “One Word” concept. This concept was derived from the book by Jon Gordon called, well you could probably guess it… “One Word That Will Change Your Life”. The idea is that “one word” sticks. Gordon says, “There is a word meant for you and when you find it, live it, and share it, your life will become more rewarding and exciting than ever.”
With my brother being a member of the team and now a member of the coaching staff, my family has adopted our own version of this. Let me tell you, Gordon is not wrong. It completely shifts your mindset and perspective.
Finding the word can be a challenge to discover and that’s a good thing. We need to be real, raw, honest and vulnerable with ourselves to really understand what that word is and why that’s the word for us. The word can be anything. Whether it’s through reading, a sermon you heard, or the daily horoscope, your word will come to you. Much like the target drawing us in, the word needs to feel right, it needs to impact you and force you to analyze how the word can shift your thinking over the course of the year. Maybe you’re going through a life changing event and the word is a driving force that reminds you to push on. Maybe it’s a career change and your word is that crutch to lean on.
Whatever your word is, when you find it, share it. I cannot stress enough how impactful this part has been for me. It’s one thing to be raw and honest with yourself, but when you’re vulnerable enough to share it with others, it makes things a lot more real. Like Coach Allen asking each of his players to share their word and hang it up in their lockers, or our family sharing each of our words in our family group message; share with friends or family. The accountability that comes from it allows for more potential growth as you pursue the word.
In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to take second and share my word for 2021. For me the past few years, my words have been perspective, submit and now this year – process. Process according to dictionary.com is, “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.” For me, coming to this word wasn’t a simple decision. I had been battling and praying about a few different options, growth or process and which word was better suited for me this year. Within that time of discovery, the verse-of-the-day notification from my Bible app appeared on my phone with Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” I then realized that I can’t achieve growth without a process and I can’t have the right process unless I trust the plans God has for me. So whether it’s company expansion, this blog, fitness goals, relationships or hobbies, in order to set myself up for success and to balance the items on my life plate, I need to commit these things to God, allow him to establish my plan and build a process to grow from there.
Gordon goes on to say, “One Word creates clarity, power, passion and life-change. The simple power of One Word is that it impacts all six dimensions of your life – mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial.” I truly believe this and have seen it firsthand. That being said, I want to encourage you to take a deep dive into your heart and mind. Investigate areas of opportunity for growth or change. Break down the word to it’s core definition and how that impacts your own life, find a Bible verse that compliments the word, and allow that word to be a target drawing you towards your goals and aspirations in 2021.
It takes raw and it takes real. When you find the word, share the word. When you share the word, you have to live the word. Take this opportunity, and experience how this concept can help you grow. The impact is powerful, you won’t regret it!
WORKOUT
For this week, let’s do a workout focused on words. With the topic, what better way to emulate that in exercise, than for a word to mean a specific type of movement. This workout should be a challenge and push you.
Deck of Cards Workout:
Be sure to shuffle the cards well. For this workout, take a 30sec. break every 14 cards.
Ace = 11 reps
Face cards = 10 reps
Numbered Cards = reps match the number
SPADES – Air Squats
CLUBS – Push-ups
HEARTS – Burpees
DIAMONDS – Crunches
JOKER – 1 Mile Run or 1 Min. Plank
Hammer and Anvil 