My One Word for 2021: Better
“BETTER today than yesterday, BETTER tomorrow than today.”
2020. What a year!
As I write, at 11:02 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, we are bringing in the new year in the most unorthodox of ways — at home, wife asleep on the couch, daughter in full panic mode because the Bieber concert hasn’t started streaming yet, son yelling through his headset at all of his friends while playing Call of Duty, and me typing away on my computer.
In normal years, we would be celebrating with friends and family. This year …not. The Covid Curse continues.
On the bright side, I have time to sit here and reflect, and write about my #OneWord for 2021.
The Power of One Word
This #OneWord movement that has begun has radically changed my life. I first adopted a “one word” back in 2018, after reading Jon Gordon’s book One Word.
It was then that I chose the word LOVE. I plastered my classroom with copies of this word everywhere constantly reminding myself that I needed to love my family, love my students, love my profession, and love pursuing the best version of myself.
In 2019, I was inspired by the word INVEST. I spent time investing in relationships, in my own personal educational growth, and in pursuing things I was passionate about.
When 2020 came along, I adopted the word INTENTIONAL. In regards to personal growth and accomplishment, this word really held me accountable. I reminded myself daily to be intentional about being a father, about “winning the am,” about growing in my faith, and about being intentional in letting my voice be heard.
Finding My One Word for 2021
This year, it has taken me some time to determine what my anchor word for 2021 would be. Honestly, I struggled a bit.
I kept waiting for that “mountaintop experience” to occur when I heard my #OneWord. It didn’t come. I kept waiting for the “writing on the wall,” and I waited and waited.
It wasn’t until Dec. 29th that my word truly hit me. Here is the funny thing. My word has been right in front of me, nonstop, for the past few months. But here is how, on that Tuesday morning, my word revealed itself. It began when the alarm went off, in the most unpleasant of ways.
“Honey, you’d BETTER get up or you are going to be late for practice.”
“Yeah, I’d BETTER get up,” I said begrudgingly and out of bed I went.
I gathered up my clothes and one of my new hoodies from Teach Better and off to the couch I moved to “win the a.m.” before I took off for the gym to “coach up” my boys.
As I read one of my newest books, High Performance Habits, by Brendon Burchard, I read some inspirational words about becoming the best version of myself. The lesson that resonated with me on this a.m. was simple but profound:
- Look to the future.
- Identify key skills.
- Obsessively develop those skills.
In simple terms … seek to become BETTER, and pursue BETTER with everything within you.
I was fired up. This lesson was perfect for what we needed to accomplish at practice. Practice was going to be great.
I walked into the gym ready to get at it. I wrote our quote for the day on the board:
“You grow through discomfort. Hard work is intentionally leaving your comfort zone with purpose.”
— Alan Stein
This was just one of many convicting quotes from chapter two of Raise Your Game, the book my team and I have been going through. What a lesson. You cannot get BETTER if you do not leave your comfort zone.
As I waited for my boys to arrive, I tuned in to the start of the live Teach Better broadcast. I sat there in awe of so many amazing people, listening to their stories and their wisdom.
The word BETTER was the key word of the broadcast and every time it was said we were told to tap on the green heart emoji. Literally thousands of green hearts popped up everywhere constantly. BETTER was the key theme.
Every… single… guest talked about getting BETTER and growing as a person, as a teacher, as an administrator, as an influencer.
And then my boys arrived. Over to the board we went, to start practice off with our quote of the day.
My boys and I chatted about Alan Stein’s quote and talked about how our desire should be to grow and get BETTER in all that we do, every practice, every day.
As the practice evolved, I found myself constantly asking myself and asking my players “can we do BETTER?” I found myself using the word BETTER over and over throughout the morning.
It was a nonstop theme. Let’s get BETTER, boys.
After practice, it was back to the Teach Better broadcast. I continued to see lots and lots of green hearts. The word BETTER became even more implanted into my subconscious.
For two days, I haven’t stopped thinking about getting BETTER. I want to get BETTER in all that I do.
I want to be a BETTER husband.
I want to be a BETTER father.
I want to get BETTER in regards to my faith.
I want to be a BETTER teacher, leader, communicator, and servant.
I want to be BETTER when it comes to personal health.
I want to be BETTER! BETTER in all that I do.
I kind of feel like I cheated a bit, and hacked the word from Teach Better. But isn’t influence one of the benefits of a #PLN that cares and inspires you? That is my Teach Better family, my inspiration and in this case, my catalyst for my #OneWord.
So, the bracelet has been ordered with BETTER on it. The word BETTER has been printed off a bunch of times to be taped on the walls everywhere. The good news is that I already have a couple of hoodies and a cool t-shirt with the word BETTER on it.
My #OneWord for 2021 is #BETTER. Thanks to my #TeachBetter family, I am unashamedly making my motto for the year:
“BETTER today than yesterday, BETTER tomorrow than today.”
Happy New Year to you, and thanks for reading! Get better, and grow.
