Join with others and pick three words to guide the year!
How it works
It’s simple. I just pick three words. For the year.
Make them different. And don’t form a phrase. So no the, and, or really any other preposition.
Pick three, unique words to guide you for the year. Seriously, this is better than a resolution.
Do this with intention. It works.
Keep it simple.
- Pick your words.
- Write them down.
- Review them regularly.
- Share them with others.
- Recap at the new year when you pick three new words.
It really is that simple.
So don’t overthink it. Or feel the need to be clever. What do you want the vibe for the next year to be like? Find a word that reminds you of that and go with it.
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. But If you need more guidance, the guy who started it can help you out.
My Previous 3 Words
Here is what I have used the last seven 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.
2022 – Plan. Act. Celebrate.
2023 – Family. Postproductive. Brave.
My Three Words for 2024
Friend – While we are famously in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, the solution isn’t “be more social,” in part because we’re actually being excessively social already. It means being intentional with friends and doing things that matter.
Rachel Maddow’s advice: “Start a book club.” Not find one. Or join one. Start one. Get people together for a reason other than work. And just do it. Then plan to do it again.
So I’m friending this year. I’d love it if you did too!
Prepare – I’m almost never unprepared. But I put a lot of pressure on myself to prepare before deadlines, rather than much earlier in the process. I want to be intentional about preparing earlier, setting commitments further in advance, and ensuring everyone feels prepared.
Hope – As a leader, I focus a lot on what I can control and what I can’t; often fretting instead of trusting. This is a reminder to myself that hope is proactive. And an essential part of life. Learning to hope when skepticism is so easy, common, and encouraged by everyone is an essential part of leadership and faith.
What are your 3 Words?
Do you want to give a try? Think about it, then start. Put your words where you can see them, then look at them daily.
And don’t forget to share them with me and the whole of the internet using the hashtag #my3words.
What more inspiration? Here is Chris Brogan’s list for 2023:
My 3 Words for 2023