The Power of the Written Word for New Year’s Resolutions and Thought Leadership
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like nearly 40% of U.S. adults, you probably do. But do you write them down? And does that really matter?
One often-cited study and research into neuroscience says, yes, it does.
Often, we make resolutions, but they fade away by February once the busyness of life settles back in. When we commit those goals to paper (or, for the modern goal-setter, a screen), however, we transform fleeting thoughts into tangible action items that we are more likely to follow through on completing. It declares that we’re serious about what we aim to achieve. Writing gives our resolutions clarity and permanence.
The same principle applies to thought leadership. Whether setting personal resolutions or sharing professional insights, documenting your unique insights not only clarifies your message but also amplifies its reach and impact. If you have unique and critical messages to share with emerging and aspiring leaders, here’s why you should be writing them down:
The Link Between Writing and Action
One study referenced in Psychology Today found that writing down goals made individuals 33% more successful in achieving them. The physical act of writing engages both cognitive and emotional processes, embedding the goal more deeply into our consciousness and increasing commitment.
Just as writing resolutions increases the likelihood we’ll pursue them, writing thought leadership increases the likelihood that your audience will take notice and act. When you write with intention, you invite others into your vision and provide them with something tangible they can return to, share, and reflect on. A well-crafted article can spark conversations, change minds, and inspire a better workplace culture, a new way of solving industry challenges, or new directions in your field.
Quality Writing Matters
Like New Year’s resolutions, it takes more than just writing for thought leadership to have an impact. It depends on good writing. Publishing thought leadership content can help C-Suite executives and successful entrepreneurs share insights and perspectives that emerging and aspiring leaders value. Still, their impact will depend on how much intention they put into organizing their ideas into a deliberate format that those readers will consume, comprehend, and carry out into action.
Good writing needs structure, focus, and clarity. Thoughts should flow from one to the next—introduce, present, illustrate, connect. If we want readers to absorb our words, we need to write words readers will understand. Peppering prose with oversized and underused language might seem impressive, but it often only obfuscates the message. See that? Readers less familiar with words like “obfuscate” might not want to reach for a dictionary. Others might consider it to be superfluous. In both cases, my message is less likely to have the desired impact. Most modern readers read to read, not to take a vocabulary test.
A New Year, a New Voice
When we write, we give our ideas the power to inspire not just ourselves, but others around us. This New Year, don’t just make resolutions—write down personal and professional goals you want to achieve, and make them SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.
For leaders and executives with decades of business experience to share with emerging and aspiring leaders, consider writing thought leadership. Build awareness for your personal or professional brand, establish industry authority, and/or share an important message with the evolving leadership community: a regular thought leadership strategy can help you achieve those goals. Not sure you have the time or energy to craft good writing? Contact KNG Services to discuss some ways we might be able to help!
