When I began the process of visioning for 2020 for YAY, what I came with sounded sort of familiar. Oh, right. That’s because the focus areas were really similar to what I had chosen for 2019. I stewed on that for a good while. Would this set YAY up for a stagnant year? Should I come up with something more exciting, something new?

After a few weeks of reflecting, and, frankly, stalling on finalizing goals, I finally accepted where I had landed. If these things were calling to me, maybe it meant they are really important, or that there remains some unfinished business. 

Once I opened myself to this path, I realized pushing through to another layer of meaning is actually really motivating for me, similar to when I’m doing research for a project. I always want to extract every nuance or nugget, which often means a second or third round of mining through interview transcripts or observation notes until I feel I have squeezed out every last potential drop of insight. I relish asking and digging: why, why, why? and what else? 

So that is what I did. After multiple levels of asking why, I realized that even if the overarching goals are the same, the approach and actions I take may be wildly different and creative. YES! Suddenly, I felt like I was onto something.

Having finally gotten myself over the hump, I boiled it all down to a few words. Distilling it down makes it so I can easily remember what is important, week by week, month by month as I check in on my goals. YAY’s 2020 words are:

Productivity because YAY just passed its 3-year anniversary. It’s no longer my “new” business. It’s time to start thinking about what YAY is becoming. I’m really excited about one specific goal underneath this bucket to launch a new service, tapping into my husband’s data science skills. 

Presence because as a very small business, it can be easy to feel stranded on an island. It takes extra work to find and fit in collaborations, community projects, and other things that provide a sense of team and belonging. One of my first big leaps into presence this year includes serving as one of two Designers in Residence for a project with Joy’s House led by Wes Cate. The other is my former colleague, Jason Ward. I’m so excited to work with them both and the stellar team at Joy’s House. 

Creativity drives everything for YAY—the process, the work, the play and side projects—but this one is about me personally too. This goal serves as a constant reminder that I have to practice and try new things. It fuels me, which in turn makes the work better. 

I’m discovering that some of the things my goals are pointing toward actually fit in more than one category. For example, I’m recommitting to sharing more about the day-to-day and work of YAY (see the beginnings of the photo diary). This kind of storytelling sits within productivity, presence, and creativity all at once. 

There are more specific and measurable goals, more details, but you get the idea. After my murky start, I now feel ready for action. Sometimes you just have to muddle through the brambles for a while and trust you will emerge into the sunshine eventually. When in doubt, keep asking, Why? Why do I feel this way? Why do I keep circling back to this? What else…? 

Do you choose a personal word of the year or rally cry for your business?