Three words to guide the year. Join with others writing #my3words for 2022 and make a resolution that will stick.
How it works
Each year I pick three words. And I use them to guide my deicions. It’s better than a resolution.
The fact that there are three is intentional. And it works.
But don’t just take my word for it. There’s a whole community of people doing this each year and sharing it under the hashtag: #my3words.
There aren’t a lot of rules other than pick three and don’t get too clever. Keep it simple.
My Previous 3 Words
Here is what I have used the last five years:
2016 – Enjoy. Excite. Evangelize.
2017 – Gather. Lead. Play.
2018 – Decide. Minimize. Poetry.
2019 – Concentrate. Human. Experiment
2020 – Passion. Change. Delight.
2021 – Slow. Share. Ship.
Here’s what I did last year.
My Three Words for 2022
Plan – It isn’t that I don’t plan. It is that I struggle with making regular time for planning, strategizing, and thinking. I’m actually quite good at strategic thinking and development. My problem is the cult of productivity makes such practices as time-wasting. So this is about rewiring my expectations.
Act – I spend a lot of time reacting. Reacting to what others do or want. Seeking out what it it is people want and then delivering based on this. What I am less likely to do is act on what I want. As an other-first person, this is a reminder that people depend on me and trust me. Not just to deliver what they want, but what we want.
Celebrate – This is a lot like words I’ve used before: enjoy and delight. But 1) it continues to be something I’m working on and 2) it connects with the other two words. Because planning then acting leads to celebrating. This is a reminder to celebrate wins, show gratitude, and be thankful for what I get to do every day.
What are your 3 Words?
Do you want to give a try? Think about it, then just get started. Put them where you can see them and look at them daily.
And don’t forget to share them with me and the whole internet using the hashtag #my3words.
What more inspiration? Here is Chris Brogan’s list for 2022: