B (2:14)

Yeah. And we've seen, you know, it's been 22 years of this now for me, my co authors, Dan Britton and John Gordon, another tremendous author's written prolifically. 22 years ago, we started this process because a friend of ours challenged us to throw out the New Year's resolutions. And he said, hey, what's your word for the year? And we were like, I don't even know what you mean by that, but at the time we were doing the New Year's resolution thing, you know, we would come up with our list and we would literally have 40 or 50 things. You know, Dan and I are competitive athletes, former athletes, still competing, and we would create a game plan for the year. And what we discovered was we had a lot of frustration, a lot of failure, like Everybody else. Within 30 days, we forgot most of our goals. Within 90, the whole concept of resolutions was gone. And he said, hey, let's narrow this to one word and see if the life change that we experience is better than New Year's resolutions. And we had tremendous results now for 22 years.

A (3:13)

So if I'm not mistaken, your thesis is it's more about being than doing. Is that right? Yes. And so maybe the word I would choose is perseverance for a year like this. Right. What does that mean? Is it just. Does it apply to all facets of life, or is it that you pick that word?

B (3:30)

How do you.

A (3:30)

How does one even find one word?

B (3:32)

Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, I think your first comment about, you know, focusing on being, you know, a lot of times the New Year's resolutions is really a list of to dos, you know, and one word is more about who we're going to become rather than what we're going to get done. And so if you focus on internal change, it always results in external activity and success in many ways. So we just figured, hey, let's look at the six dimensions of life. Mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and even financial. And let's see if by focusing on one single word for the year, that we can have tremendous life change. It's all about life change, becoming the person that you're made to be. And that's what we've experienced.

A (4:11)

Tell me some of the stories that you've seen throughout the years. You work with Christian athletes.

B (4:16)

Yes.

A (4:16)

And you yourself were an athlete, so you deal with a lot of people that are goal oriented. I want to win conference, I want to win state, I want to get a scholarship. And let's just. In the athletic realm, there's a million different words you could put. Disciplined, agile, you know, perseverance might be one.

B (4:32)

Perseverance is a good one.

A (4:33)

It's probably one that comes up a lot.

B (4:35)

Yes.

A (4:35)

And so but just taking a step back, how do. How do you even find the right word? Yeah, because people might be worried. I don't even know what I want to do, let alone how to describe it.

B (4:46)

Right. Well, we created a simple process. You know, a book that's focused on one word and the power of one word. Had to create a simple process, of course, to get it. And it's three easy steps. It's look in, look up, and look out.

A (4:59)

Explain them all.

B (5:00)

Brilliant. Right. Looking in is where we unplug from the chaos of life, you know, the distractions and the disruption. I mean, I think of this last year being mostly a year of disruption. We always have distractions, but disruption is different. Stuff that happens to us oftentimes is beyond our control. So when we look within, we shut off the noise of life, shut off the busyness, and we ask simple questions like, what do I need most? What's in the way of me becoming the person that God made me to be? What has to go? What are some of those things that are preventing me from being my very best? And we'll ask that question. If there was one word that we could focus on this year that would bring the greatest positive life change internally, inside out, what would it be? So, you know, you look at a year like this and you're reflecting back on some challenges that we probably faced. You know, I also think that 2020 was a year of tremendous opportunity. So it wasn't all bad. Right. You know, there's a lot of good, but we would focus in on what are the things that are going to, if they changed, would. Would bring the greatest positive change to our lives.

A (6:03)

And so looking inward and then looking up. So obviously a spiritual component. I'm guessing that's what it means.

B (6:09)

Yeah. When we wrote the book, we really wanted it to be a big net wide audience. We didn't want to just write for people who were necessarily strong or deep in their faith, but we wanted to create a guideline that said, hey, we're men of faith. Dan, John and I are men of faith. We're all believers, and we do believe that the Creator has made us with great purpose. He's created us to, you know, to do good work, so to speak. And so when we look up, it's really that step of saying, God, if you were to do one thing in me this year, they would have the greatest positive impact on others and on the world around us. The greatest positive influence. What would that word be? And that's a time when we pray. You know, we all discover our word in different ways sometimes. Most of the time I discover my word when I'm on a bike or I'm on a treadmill or I'm exercising. I don't know if it's the higher oxygen content that I have in my brain. But others will do their quiet time in the morning, they'll be in the word of God, and they'll discover the word in a different way.

A (7:07)

So you've been doing this for 21 years? Yeah. Can you talk about some of the stories of how one word has been able to help you? And do you stay? Do you keep it throughout the year? Do you almost think about it daily?

B (7:18)

Oh, yeah. It is. In fact, step three is to look out. So it's look in, look up and look out. And look out is where you tell your inner circle of friends the word that you've selected. You tell them why that became the word for the year, and then they hold you accountable and they ask you questions throughout the year. But, you know, some of the greatest stories are when we're working with teams or we're working with businesses, and they'll create their own word for the year. And then at their staff meetings, you know, once a month, they'll come in and say, hey, how's it going? And everyone at that table will share their word and share stories about how it's bringing life change.

A (7:52)

And so it's obviously more than just a word. It's a course correction or a true north. It really is. What's the process that you should go to find that word, though, in November, December. Let's pretend it's today, because we're in February, and. And right now, New Year's resolutions have already been shattered. It's actually a perfect month to be doing this podcast. I was gonna go to the gym, I was gonna lose 10 pounds, I was gonna stop drinking, I was going to stop doing video games or whatever it might be. And people are saying, that's it. This year is just as bad as the other one. What's the process? I mean, you say that it comes to you maybe when you're working out, maybe other people are just struggling. They say, look, I got a list of problems. I mean, I got a lot of different words that come to mind, and none of them are exactly aspirational. You know, they might be four letter words. Right?

B (8:36)

We have seen those.

A (8:37)

Yeah, I'm sure you have. Right. So what would your advice be? People listening right now. We have a lot of younger listeners. We see their emails and there's a lot of pain right now. Shut down School suicide, alcoholism, depression, job displacement, relationships being shattered, and there's always pain. It just seems as if it's been an extra insult to injury the last year. And there's a young person listening to this right now. They're like, okay, I'm taking notes, but I can't. What would you say to that person? Where do they start?

B (9:04)

Yeah, I would say a lot of times we get stuck with our head down. You know, we get our focus on all the things that are wrong or the things that we're struggling with or the problems that we have. I mean, for example, my daughter is a senior in high school. She has lost two full seasons of lacrosse plus school. I don't think she's as worried about the school, but she cares about the lacrosse. And there's a lot of disappointment. And I think once your focus narrows to the challenges that you're facing, one word gives you an opportunity to lift your head up, lift your eyes up, and create a positive, optimistic picture for the future. So if there is a word that could get you out of some of the anxiety and stress and depression, in many ways, if there was a word that could lift you out of that, that. By focusing on that and then creating a positive expectation, what's going to happen in my life? For example, a couple years ago, my word was unstoppable. Actually heading into 2020. So 2019, I journeyed with the.

A (9:58)

Do you remember all your words?

B (9:59)

I do.

A (10:00)

Oh, we got.

B (10:00)

Don't quiz me.

A (10:01)

No, we got to go through that in a second.

B (10:02)

I got to have.

A (10:03)

Oh, we will. Yeah.

B (10:05)

And in 2019, my word was unstoppable. And what I discovered was, you know, I had limiting beliefs. I had. I had things that I would think on that were sabotaging me from having the success that I wanted. I had relationships that were challenging that were. That I really wanted to have breakthrough. And unstoppable was a constant reminder that. To turn the hardest relationships into the healthiest relationships, to take the negative doom loop that I might have in my. In my head of doubts or discouragement and turn it around into something that. That overcomes challenges physically. What are the. What are the roadblocks in my life? So if there's young people out there or old people out there that are struggling, that feel stuck, this is the perfect process to discover that word. Lift your head out of your problems. Consider the capability of what God might do in your life this year and might do through you, and then create a positive expectation for that life change. You know, hey, what could happen this year that really turns things around, helps me overcome my circumstances, overcome the challenges that I'm facing. Unstoppable was that word in 2019.

A (11:12)

So do you find that the word you choose is somewhat circumstantial? Meaning it's about what's going on around you. And you take a kind of a. An analysis, you kind of take a review and you say, boy, I have limiting beliefs, therefore my word should be unstoppable. So the word should be self improvement or goal oriented towards living a better life. And so the word can be motivational. The word can be also a word of accountability.

B (11:37)

Right.

A (11:37)

So can you use an example of maybe a word that you used in the last 21 years where the word was able to keep you within the boundaries of either good behavior or doing the right thing?

B (11:48)

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

C (11:50)

10.

B (11:50)

So now you're really testing.

A (11:51)

Now we're really crazy.

B (11:52)

I'm going way.

A (11:53)

I love the thesis of the word. And I'll get to a different point.

B (11:56)

And it forms chapters.

A (11:57)

That's what I want to get to.

B (11:58)

Kind of the cool thing.

A (11:59)

But you don't forget the word either. 5 years ago.

B (12:01)

I want to get to so 20 in 2010. My word was detox, which that's a

A (12:05)

lot different than unstoppable. Yeah, it is a precursor. You go from like Superman ubermensch to,

B (12:12)

oh, my gosh, I'm addicted. Yeah, I gotta bring addiction.

A (12:15)

Without getting too personal, why did you choose detox?

B (12:17)

You know, I discovered at that time that I was making decisions that were. Or I was influenced by voices, influenced by other relationships that were toxic, that were not life giving, that were not helpful to the conversation. And that year became a year where I really distanced myself from some friends that were unproductive, made some different decisions physically regarding my physical health and even spiritually. Just making sure to connect to truth, to connect to the things of, like, whatever's good and right and pure and hopeful and optimistic and full of life. I had to detox from some of that negative spiritual talk and really fill myself with that supernatural power. So it was a year of, you know, I had to explain it a lot, Charlie. I had to explain that a lot.

A (13:10)

Like, are you okay? Yeah.

B (13:11)

Like, do you need to go into rehab? I mean, what do we do now? I didn't have any substance abuse problems, but at the same time, I had thought problems and I had some toxic material that needed to go.

A (13:22)

And so you found throughout the years that the words almost are able to roll one into the other, but the word actually Tells you more about the previous year than the future year. It may, because it might be more of, like, what I need to do to be able to then perform it. Can you give me an example of some of the words that really stuck out to you? Maybe the first word you ever chose, and then how it was able to make a difference in your life?

B (13:47)

Yeah, that's a great question. And the first year, my word was simplify.

A (13:51)

Okay?

B (13:51)

And so that was coming on the heels of these huge lists of resolutions, which we were completely unsuccessful with. So my first word was simplify. And what I learned was I had to be able to say no, so that the quality of my yes improved so that the things that I actually committed to meant something, and so that I could focus on those things and, you know, be better in those areas. So by simplifying, I eliminated a lot of garbage that was probably good, but it was. You know, you've heard this statement, good is the enemy of great. It's true. You know, there's a lot of things that you can be doing and be relatively successful, but when you pare away some of the good things to get to the really good things, the great things, and you simplify, you've got space in order to really stay on mission, I think, more than ever.

A (14:37)

And so the word doesn't have to be just a noun. It could be a verb, like detox is to detox, which obviously didn't, as you mentioned, do a substance, but just something in particular. And with young people in general, have you found that when they find this one word, it keeps them focused because these longer, meandering journals and resolutions, you can kind of get just lost in all that.

B (15:03)

Never lasts. We did a. We roll this out in school districts all around the country. And one of my favorite stories is of Midlothian Elementary School in Texas. Great state of Texas. And we rolled it out, and they allowed all of the kids to. When they selected their words, they took the ceiling tiles out of the ceiling. They let the kids paint their word on the ceiling tile and then put them back in the. In the ceiling. So all year long, literally, these kids would have a reminder, a visual reminder of. Of their word for the year. And then the teachers would bring it into the classroom. So, you know, and that's a story of fourth graders, you know, and then we've got high school students who are dealing with some real issues, who want to step into a future that's purposeful and meaningful. They know it's in them. It just needs to be called out. Of them. So by focusing on this word. And it really does, you know, if you put it on your screensaver, you put it on your phone. I make bands. I mean, I've got an unstoppable band on here and.

A (16:00)

Wow. So what's your word this year?

B (16:01)

This year my word is freedom.

A (16:03)

Okay.

B (16:04)

So that could be a very interesting conversation.

A (16:06)

Sure. Tell me why you chose freedom.

B (16:09)

I feel, and you know this more than anybody, given what you do, I feel like our freedom is under attack now more than ever before.

A (16:16)

No surprise to hear me.

B (16:17)

Yeah, you're right. Exactly. I thought I'd get an amen on that one, you know, and I feel like too, not only do. Am I in the fight politically, I mean, I definitely. I love America. You know, I had an opportunity in the last couple of years to trace our lineage back to the American Revolutionary War, which has been cool. And I know you have a. Interesting history as well.

A (16:38)

Yeah, I'm the son of the American Revolution.

B (16:40)

Yeah, son of. That's what. In fact, Jake and I and our other boys just joined that. So that's pretty exciting. And, you know, so I have this built in patriotism and love for the American idea. I have a love for the American ideals and our principles that we're founded on. And I've never seen them under quite this level of assault. So I think that that was part of the motivation. But I think beyond that, you know, freedom physically. For example, I had back surgery last year. Just add one more thing to 2020. Right. And I want to have the freedom like I used to, to not worry about getting injured physically, because I love to be active. I love to compete still. And I think that's been something that is part of my focus is how do I get to the place where I don't worry about being injured, you know, along the way, I have the freedom physically to do the things I love to do.

A (17:30)

And freedom for freedom from sin. It's a great word. And you can keep going.

B (17:35)

From a spiritual perspective, it's incredible because you think about all the ways that we've been rescued from the bondage. Bondage to sin. Bondage.

A (17:43)

John 8 talks a lot. Oh, yeah.

B (17:45)

And that's actually my favorite verse. John 8. 36.

A (17:47)

There we go.

B (17:48)

Which is whom the sun sets Free is free indeed. So there's so many illustrations in the Bible about. About God's intent for us to live with freedom, you know, and that we've been set free. Don't go back to the legalism of old. Instead, walk in freedom and walk in the power that God has given.

A (18:05)

Can you talk about how the new secular orthodoxy defines freedom differently? The way they define freedom is the freedom to put substances in your body without responsibility, when in reality, a biblical freedom is a freedom where you have. You're set free of the sin when you're in. No person in sin can actually be free. Can you talk about a biblical definition of freedom versus a secular definition of freedom?

B (18:29)

Yeah, before. Before placing faith in God or faith in Christ, you know, we really don't have the choice that we think we do. We think we're operating in freedom, you know. But once you place your faith in Christ and you realize that freedom, then is freedom to make choices that honor God, you know, it's not freedom to do whatever you want anymore or to indulge your sinful nature, if you will, but instead you have the freedom and the power within you to overcome that and to make decisions that are good for you, that are a blessing to others and glorify God. And I think that's the name of the game. Right? That's why we're set free, so that we can live a righteous life and so that we can make a difference for other people.

A (19:06)

And many young people are told the opposite. They say, the more you will pursue whatever secular, quasi hedonistic, nihilistic objective, the more you'll find content or satisfaction. And you deal with young people, you could say firsthand, that is absolutely not the case.

B (19:23)

It doesn't work. Right. It's empty. You know, sin and that false freedom, as we call it, false freedom, promises so much. It promises so much satisfaction, and in the end, it's empty. And so you can try and make decisions that you think are going to satisfy you. And if they're not righteous decisions, if they're not decisions that honor God, they're going to be empty. It's going to leave you in a darker place or depressed. And we see that. But then when God gets involved and you have a right perspective on freedom and you place your faith in Christ, all of a sudden you have been. You experience real freedom. It's a lightness. I remember when I placed my faith in Christ in college at Virginia Tech, and I remember the burden that I let go of, you know, that performance burden, trying to please God. And once you realize you're not really living to please God, you're actually, he's done everything for you and you're reconciled to him, you can let go of that performance mindset and really walk in freedom.

A (20:23)

Yeah. Amen. So 21 words. You've done which ones? Which one really sticks out to you as the one that was the most pivotal, where you were in a moment where you're like, this word really either saved me from something or got me to the next level or was a breakthrough.

B (20:38)

Can I share my wife's word?

A (20:39)

Yes. And she struggled with cancer from that mistake. Is that right?

B (20:43)

In 2008, she was diagnosed with four stage colon cancer.

A (20:47)

Wow.

B (20:47)

The same colon cancer that her father had been diagnosed with at the same age years before and died two years later. So we were facing that situation. And I'll never forget, we had great care with physicians at Johns Hopkins in Maryland. A world class organization. But every time we went in there for a new test or a new update or a report, we got a lot of bad news. We got a lot of bad news for months. And I'll never forget, I remember telling them, hey, when we come in, I pulled the doctors aside and said, hey, when we come in, could you spend the first two or three minutes giving us some hope? Just breathe some life into this thing. They thought it was crazy, but then they realized the power of belief. And I Remember heading into 2009, Ivelisse chose the word believe. And because we were, you know, we were kind of in that place where we had to trust God no matter what. We knew that nothing was impossible for God, that even these long odds that she was facing were not insurmountable. So that word became a rallying cry for us. And it was for nothing is impossible for those who believe. And then out of that, now she's 12 years cancer free now, praise God. It is just amazing.

A (21:54)

Miracle. Praise God.

B (21:55)

And at the same time, she created an organization, a cancer foundation called Believe Big. So the word for the year, the focus for the year was believing that God could do the impossible, trusting him for her healing, which happened. And then out of that, we wanted to turn that adversity into an advantage. You know, that's kind of one of our core principles. How do we take adversity and turn it into an advantage and a blessing for others? So then the organization Believe Big was birthed, and now we've had an opportunity to influence literally thousands of people around the world on their journey to beat cancer.

A (22:27)

It's amazing. Yeah, it's really cool. So I could just hear right now, a lot of young people are writing down multiple words. They should pray over it and then select one, right? Don't select two.

B (22:36)

Not two, not three.

A (22:37)

This question some like, can I, can I do three words? Can I do A phrase. Can I do a quote? Tell me why the one word matters, though.

B (22:43)

One word. The more narrow your focus.

A (22:46)

Tell me why, though.

B (22:47)

Well, the more likely that you're going to stay on track.

A (22:49)

Okay.

B (22:49)

And so for me, if you, you know, it's like a laser. You know, light. Light is productive in this room, but if you narrow the focus of that light, we can cut through steel. So it's a good analogy. And a lot of times people will say, well, what if I don't like my word? You know, what if. What if I get by May, I'm like, discipline.

A (23:06)

Not for me.

B (23:07)

I failed already. And we say, journey with it for a year.

A (23:10)

Okay.

B (23:11)

You know, and the reason is, a lot of times we don't know what God is going to do with that word in our lives until late in the game. You know, some things you would expect you would see from a word like discipline or like perseverance. You would. You're going to face opportunities to persevere, but at the same time, you don't know what you might face in July, in October, or like, my wife's situation in September of 2008. We didn't know why her word was going to be important that year. So you discover it late in the year, and it's something to be journeyed with. Like, I like it. I want that word to become part of my DNA. So, you know, a word like connect or a word like love or believe or detox, I want that to be something that becomes part of who I am as a person. So by journeying with that for a year, you have memories and milestones. You know, you've got a chapter of your life that you're going to be able to describe the life change that you've experienced.

A (24:06)

So it's also important, though, that the word is reflective of righteousness. Yes. Do you. Sometimes you have to remind people not to have the word maybe point them in a direction that might be against God's will? Sure. For example, if the word you chose is success, well, success can be wonderful for the pursuit of, you know, what is righteous in the world, but success for. So can you add some clarity that the intention behind the word must be pursuing truth or pursuing what is right?

B (24:33)

A lot of times, you know, people will say, well, it seems kind of selfish that I'm focusing on a word that's going to bring life change just for me. And we always say that, you know, the life change that you experience always has to be a blessing to others. So even if I think of the term Success, which is a great word,

A (24:48)

and I'm sure you get that a lot, right?

B (24:49)

Yeah, because we want to be successful.

A (24:52)

Right, of course.

B (24:52)

But, you know, there's a difference between success and fulfillment. You know, I can be wildly successful in the pursuit of something, but unless it has greater meaning, unless it has the ability to bless or bring other people up, it's really going to, relatively speaking, be a hollow word. So we always want to begin with the end in mind that the change that comes to me is always meant for the blessing and benefit of others. And I think that's one of the things and one of the reasons why it works so well.

A (25:19)

And you pray over it and it's hopefully incorporated with biblical values because as you say, if it becomes part of your DNA for that one year, then you never know where it might just all of a sudden a moment might come. And that word is very real, is really important.

B (25:36)

Yeah, that's right. And so we'll add spiritual verses to it. We'll add verses from the Bible to it. And even now in my journal, so we recommend journaling, put the word in the front, put some verses to it, maybe put a statement to it that can help you remember it throughout the year. But I have nine or ten verses from the Bible about freedom, and they're all relatively different aspects of freedom that I think can help me along the way.

A (26:02)

So the book is one word that will change your life, and it's changed

B (26:06)

your life big time.

A (26:07)

And I know that Jake has done it and other people have as well.

B (26:11)

Yes.

A (26:11)

And so your recommendation, everyone should get out, go check the book.

B (26:14)

Yes.

A (26:15)

And they should start finding that word and focusing on that word.

B (26:18)

Yeah. And don't make it something that's a heavy process. You know, a lot of times people feel like they have to get the perfect word and they'll get stuck because of that. And we're always like, listen, make it a joyful process. Make this a, you know, a process where you have a positive expectation for what's going to happen. You can't go wrong picking any word. If God leads you to a. To a handful of words, you can't go wrong picking one of those words and journey with it for the year. So we send people to our website@getoneword.com and there's lots of resources there that can help people discover their word as

A (26:50)

well and to keep it very narrow and focused in this chaotic world. Anything else about the book that you wanted to dive into that we maybe didn't get a chance to cover I

B (27:00)

think the biggest thing, and I've said it a couple times here today, is that this lifts your eyes off your circumstances, gets you focused in a positive direction. And you should believe that great things are going to happen. Doesn't mean that adversity is not going to come. We're likely to experience adversity. We're likely to go through challenges. But that word might be just the thing that you need to overcome those challenges. It might be something like a word like peace. It might be a different type of attribute. But expect great things to happen. Expect positive life change to happen and really make a difference for others.

A (27:35)

And you focus on what is good that will follow. So it is one word that will change your life. Honor to have you on this program.

B (27:43)

Thank you. The honor's all mine. Thank you.

A (27:45)

Thanks so much.

B (27:46)

You bet.

A (27:49)

Thanks so much for listening, everybody. Email us your questions freedomarliekirk.com and please consider supporting us@charliekirk.com support. God bless. Speak to you soon.