Join with me and many others and pick three words to guide the year!
How it works
It’s simple. I just pick three words. For the year.
Those are your words for the year. They should mean something to you. In fact, they should mean three somethings to you.
Make them different. And don’t form a phrase. So no the, and, or really any other preposition. They are independent, and mean something, but they can connect. Essentially, they are three words that have to be able to stand on their own.
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.
2024 – Friend. Prepare. Hope
My Three Words for 2025
Research – I want to spend more time actually digging through dusty tomes and having conversations with people who know things. I have big assignments on the horizon and I need to exercise some old muscles to learn new things and get used to it!
Ritual – Putting in the effort to maintain patterns of living, loving, and communing is a valuable part of connecting with others and with our selves. This year, I’d like to give more attention to these patterns for myself and how they fit into my life. I suspect, it will require I slow down a bit.
Experience – I’m resisting a third R word here on purpose. Because this next year will be BIG for me and my family. And I need to slow down and actually experience it. I want to remember it, not get bogged down or rush through it.
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 2025:
My 3 Words for 2025