Have you seen the “one word” trend that shows up as we start the new year? The idea is that you choose one word that captures your approach to the year and that word guides you in your decisions. All. Year.

It seems to be the new take on resolutions, and if you haven’t already noticed, people start posting theirs on social media, ask about “your word,” and ads will pop up for “one word” swag like mugs, bracelets, and shirts so you can keep your word like “Fierce”, “Calm”, “Simplify”, “Happiness” front and center.

While this approach can be appealing because it’s simple, allows you to stay focused, and makes it easy to keep your one word top of mind, following the trend may not be in everyone’s best interest.

Have you ever been so narrowly focused on something that you miss everything else, including important details? Like when you miss your exit because you’re so focused on driving safely in the snow? Or when you’re so focused on avoiding the bunkers that you don’t choose the right club for the shot? These sorts of situations happen to all of us—we’re human.

Being able to have laser-like focus can be great, but the one word theme may cause us to put blinders on, become too rigid, or miss out on other options. We can learn a lot from the last couple of years, and one of the big lessons is that being flexible is hugely important,

Here are two examples of how a “one word” resolution for the year can seem positive but can lead to potential drawbacks if we get too locked in:

If your word is “flexible”, yes, you may be more open to new ideas in all aspects of life, you’ll be more likely to go with the flow, and you’ll be focused on adjusting when needed. But also, you may overlook times that you need to set boundaries or maintain rules for the good of a situation.

If your word is “brave”, yes, you may take on new situations that you’d usually say no to, and you’ll probably stretch and grow in your golf journey, but you may also take risks that aren’t actually good for you or are not well thought out because this year, you are brave.

By deciding on your intentions for an entire year, this can set you up to get too locked in or to burn out too quickly. And, like resolutions, if we find that we’re not able to live up to our chosen word, then we might ditch it not long after choosing it.

Here are 3 ideas to try instead of picking one word for the year.

Keep an Open Mind

If you’ve already chosen a word and have committed, hold it loosely. Let it guide you but don’t let it close you off to other ideas or options. Consider checking in after you’ve used it for a month or two: has it served you well? Were there any times you missed opportunities or options because the word boxed you in? You may want to consider adding another word or two into the mix, which leads to the next idea

Have More than One “One Word”

Pick a few words for the year. This idea gives you the simplicity and focus of the “one word” concept while allowing for a bit of a broader focus. Keep these words front and center to guide you and remind you what’s important to you this year. You can use sticky notes, a daily reminder on your phone, or morning journaling to help you get clear on your intentions. With a few words, you still have clear intentions without the blinders.

Pick a daily word

This is like choosing an intention for the day. Today I will be brave. Today I will be calm. Today I will be focused. The next day you might need to be fierce. Or strong. Or lazy. Having a word each day lets you explore different approaches and aspects of yourself.

The daily word choice also helps you look at what you need to handle today and decide accordingly. If you’re at your first tournament in a while then the word you focus on today may be confident or calm. The day after that tournament? You might need your word to be kind. Or learn. You get the idea. Pick a word that guides you today. Yes, you may put on blinders, but putting them on for a day is different than doing that for an extended period of time.

Having “one word” for the year may not be the right choice for everyone because there can be some drawbacks to such a bold choice. But we can learn from the positives: direction, intention, and motivation. Consider how you can work the idea of “one word” into your life to gain the benefits and work through the potential challenges.