What 3 Words Will Help You Succeed in 2025?

This is my twelfth year of using Chris Brogan's "My Three Words” planning exercise to enable my annual goals. Like most processes, the more I follow the steps, the better the results.

Chris’ approach is a simple and effective way of activating the mindsets, routines, and behaviours required to reach your goals. It also helps you avoid everyday distractions that halts progress. Here are the three steps to follow:

1.  Identify how you must think, act and behave to achieve your goals.
2.  Select three words that capture the essence of these enablers that will remind you of them.
3.  Place these words where you will see them daily (e.g., phone screen, monitor, mirror).

After years of practicing Chris’ goal-achievement process, prioritizing three goals and choosing a word for each works best for me. My words for 2024 were Mentor, Refine and Chef.

Mentor signified helping people achieve their goals or manage their challenges. Although I have been doing this casually for years, it wasn’t a goal I worked toward; I helped when asked but didn’t look for opportunities to do so. This year, my radar scanned for people in need who might benefit from my experience and skills. I helped more individuals in more ways, which demonstrated the difference that focus makes.

I realized that not everyone wants help, either because they are managing well independently or have support from others. Another learning was that commitment levels to goals are variable. I assisted someone who had finished his master’s degree and was looking for his first role in his field of study. He was interested, and I sprung into action. I created a plan, advocated on his behalf, and provided coaching through the application and interview stages. After six weeks, I realized I was working harder on his goal than he was. I stopped driving, waiting for him to take the wheel. He didn’t.

Refine was a prompt to fine-tune my daily routines. They include my diet, exercise, media consumption and nighttime wind-down. I had fun experimenting and tweaking my habits. For example, my best nighttime routine is working out at 9:30 pm, drinking herbal tea and reading before bed, and lights out at 11:30 pm. A bonus from this goal is that optimizing my life has become a habit.

Chef was about learning how to cook. I could prepare meals, but not varied or tasty ones. My goal was to create a repertoire of ten good meals. I started my quest by interviewing friends about how they learned to cook. Most said trial and error. My friend John sent me “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman to kickstart my explorations. Instagram was my go-to source for recipes because videos accompanied most. I tried 32 recipes, with many passing the “Would we have it again” test judged by my wife and me. 

We also signed up for the Chef’s Plate/Hello Fresh meal kit service in July. Following the recipes was harder than I thought because it required ingredient organizing and multiple dish coordination. Now, it is fun to think of what we will eat tonight, and I get excited about kitchen-related gadgets. I am proudest of achieving this goal because I had avoided it for many years. I felt like I was getting my driver’s license decades after turning sixteen.

2025 is a big one for me. The three words I have selected to achieve my goals are Daily, Sleep and Savour.

Daily is about reaping the benefits of consistent effort. Specifically, it will support my commitment to writing ten minutes every day on my next book. I aim to complete the first draft by December 31, and I know from my first two books that writing must be my number one priority and every day counts. I will not sleep until I complete this daily task, which would compromise my second goal.

Sleep is about improving the quality and length of my rest. I track my sleep scores nightly on my Garmin watch, which are rarely good. I didn’t know there were so many ways to have a poor night’s sleep. Most mornings, I read reports informing me of my poor REM or deep sleep or that my sleep was imbalanced. In 2025, I will focus on managing my inputs to improve my outputs. Daily data will help me notch my score up from my current average of 69.

Savour is a reminder to enjoy every day to the fullest, even the challenging parts. Time is flying, and I want to live fully. Earlier in my career, there were times when I thought, “If only this difficult project could be over.” Now, I realize that the toughest times gave me the most growth (and the best stories). My goal is to live in the moment and appreciate what I am doing, no matter how difficult.

Over the holidays, I reviewed my past word selections, noting my successes, failures and learnings. It’s time to add to the lists by focusing on the present, thinking, and doing things to drive my success in 2025.

The My Three Words exercise has helped me achieve my goals by staying focused and resisting distractions. If that sounds good, what three words will help you achieve your goals in 2025?

Best wishes for a successful year!

Phil

#goalsetting #planning #personaldevelopment #change #leadership #management #business #my3words

What 3 Words Will Guide You to Success in 2024?

 

This is my eleventh year of using Chris Brogan's "My Three Words” planning exercise to enable my goals for the year. Each year, I learn as much about myself from the goals I fall short of as from the ones I meet.

Chris’s process is a simple and effective way of activating the mindsets, routines, and behaviours that will enable your desired achievements. Its power is in keeping you focused on the things that lead to your outcomes. 

Here are the three steps to follow:

1.  Identify how you must think, act and behave to achieve your goals. 

2.  Select three words that will keep your outcomes top-of-mind and trigger how to think and act.

3.  Place these words where you will see them daily (e.g., phone screen, monitor, mirror).

Prioritizing three goals and choosing a word for each works best for me. My three words for 2023 were Room, Reconnect and Begin.

Room signified holding time on my calendar to accommodate changes in my schedule. In March, I was booked for a kidney donor operation for a close friend, and this word reminded me to make room in my calendar for my recovery by reducing my consulting assignments and saying no to other activities. My planning saved me because a week before the date, I caught COVID-19, delaying our surgeries by three weeks. My lighter-than-normal schedule accommodated the change except for facilitating a virtual strategic planning session six days after the operation. Calendar flexibility has become a new habit.

Reconnect supported my goal of checking in with family members, friends, and former colleagues I hadn’t seen in years. I was conscious time was passing, and I hadn’t connected with many people I cared for. “Reconnect” was a powerful reminder to keep relationships alive. I will continue to do so.

Begin was a stimulus to move into new territory, both personally and professionally. The opposite of growth is stagnation, and I want to challenge myself to take on new experiences, build new skills and meet new people. I wanted 2023 to be a year of beginnings, and I intend to be in the right mindset to see and pursue them. This word was the least effective. I took on new clients in new industries and government agencies but was looking for more “newness.” In hindsight, “Begin” was too broad—begin what?

I am motivated to make 2024 another successful year. My goals are more personal than professional, and the three words I have selected to achieve them are Mentor, Refine, and Chef.

Last year, I dedicated time to helping people achieve their goals by providing feedback on LinkedIn profiles and HR-related advice. Some of these professionals were new to Canada. I loved the experiences and was happy to see people achieve their goals. Mentor will remind me to ramp up my support and find new ways to provide it. 

Refine is a reminder to fine-tune my routines. Early in my career, I discovered that my learning style is called “abstract conceptualization,” which means I learn by doing and create sequenced steps to achieve my goals. I am a process guy. I aim to refine the processes that keep me healthy, including learning, exercise, diet, and sleep. Experimenting like popular academics Andrew Huberman and David Sinclair will be fun. Let the experiments begin!

Chef is about starting a new hobby: cooking. The last hobbies I took on were running fifteen years ago and painting twenty years earlier.

Get-togethers over the holiday season reminded me of my culinary skill gap and desire to fill it. I realize chef is a grand term, but I want to push myself. The ability to make ten amazing meals feels like a good stretch goal. There may be some photos to share next year, and I know I will need to prioritize this personal goal or fail because there are no immediate consequences for ignoring it. Although this goal might sound easy, it is the one I am least confident in achieving. I will turn my trepidation into action.

Over the years, friends and associates have adopted the My Three Words approach after reading these annual blog posts. If it’s something you would like to try, what three words will guide you to success in 2024? I would be happy to mentor you through the process.

#goalsetting #planning #personaldevelopment #change #leadership #management #business #my3words

What 3 Words Will Guide You to Success in 2023?

It’s my tenth anniversary of using Chris Brogan’s “My Three Words” planning exercise to set myself up for success for the next year.  Like many, 2022 was a year of uncertainty, and this approach kept me focused on my priorities through most of the twists and turns I faced.

Here is how Chris’ technique works: After setting your goals for the year, select three words that will keep these aspirations top of mind and align your actions with achieving them. At the end of the year, assess their effectiveness before starting the process again, incorporating new learnings.  

2022 marked a fresh start after dedicating three years to creating my book, Change on the Run. To make good decisions about new opportunities, I chose words that would help me evaluate options.  My three words to guide me to success for the year were activate, breathe and outcomes.

Activate was about creating conditions where I could think objectively.  Being at the top of my game requires physical and mental regimens that are difficult to do consistently.  They include running, weight training, time for reflection and dedicated research.  It’s incredible what you can accomplish when you relentlessly stick to a plan.  My regimens gave me confidence through my assessments and dynamic client assignments.

Breathe refers to pausing before making commitments.  I have difficulty saying no to requests for change management support, which creates two risks: overextending my firm’s capacity and having to pass on new assignments that better align with my skills and expertise. Breathe was a reminder to pause and thoughtfully consider each opportunity before saying yes (or no).  It worked well until it didn’t.  In September, I fell into old behaviours and lost control of my calendar.  I quickly got back on track but suffered the consequences of my actions.

Outcomes prompted me to use consistent evaluation criteria for new engagements.  I was inspired by Marshall Goldsmith’s advice to “make sure that the benefits are truly worth your efforts” before doing something.  This word was a big help in defining and following a set of assessment questions for each opportunity.  I passed on a few speaking gigs and consulting assignments because they didn’t fit my parameters.

This year has been one of the best for pursuing my goals. Posting the three words on my monitor kept them top of mind except in the early fall when I let busyness distract me.  Next year I will also write them out daily, as recommended by Chris Brogan’s business partner, Rob Hatch.

I am looking forward to 2023. I have some exciting assignments, and I will be a kidney donor for a close friend.  My three words to guide me to success are room, reconnect and begin.

Room refers to holding time on my calendar to accommodate the rescheduling of commitments. I am conscious of the shifts I will make around my operation and client assignments, and I can’t inconvenience others through an overcommitted calendar. 

Reconnect reflects my desire to check in with family members, friends and former colleagues whom I haven’t seen in years. I have been thinking about Isaac Newton’s quote, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants,” and I don’t want to wait to say thank you. My Change on the Run podcast was an excellent vehicle for reconnecting with peers, and I intend to reach out to more people who have made a difference in my life.

Begin is a motivator to move into new territory, personally and professionally. The opposite of growth is stagnation, and I want to challenge myself to take on new experiences, build new skills and meet new people. This is a year for new beginnings, and I intend to be in the right mindset to see and pursue them.

Working through the My Three Words exercise has helped me define success for 2023. It has also given me tools to align my behaviour with achieving them. I know I will assess my accomplishments in December, and I am confident in my roadmap to accomplish my goals. 

Ten years of using the My Three Words planning exercise has helped me achieve many of my annual goals. You might want to try it to see if it works for you, and might even have a tenth anniversary, too.

#goalsetting #planning #personaldevelopment #change #leadership #management #business #my3words

What 3 Words Will Help You Make 2022 One of Your Best?

This is year nine of using Chris Brogan’s “My Three Words”  planning exercise to set myself up for success at the beginning of a new year. It helps me take stock of the previous year, commit to meaningful goals, and identify what it will take to achieve them.

Here is how Chris’ technique works: After setting your goals for the year, select three words that will keep them top of mind and guide your actions toward these outcomes. At the end of the year, assess their effectiveness before starting the process again, incorporating new learnings.

Last year was a big one for me. My primary goal was to finish writing my second book, Change on the Run, and publish it in March through Page Two Books. My tasks included writing and recording an audiobook version, planning a live virtual launch event and marketing online. The three words that supported me were reach, partner and share. I kept them visible on my monitor stand and wrote them out daily as reminders to stay focused.

Reach propelled me to build awareness with my target market of people going through workplace change who have little time to learn what works. I hosted 29 podcast episodes, gave 14 interviews, wrote 30 blog posts and five articles, and facilitated five workshops. I missed a few opportunities, but there is no “perfect” in promotion, just like change management.

Partner was a prompt to collaborate with individuals and organizations to maximize my impact. Inertia encourages us to repeat experiences instead of discovering new ones that enable us to grow. Mine spanned consulting partnerships, peer community events, and university engagements.

Share was a reminder that I am happiest when helping others. Reserving time for mentoring and coaching is important, and I didn’t want to pass on these opportunities to support others. I coached conference presenters and shared my perspectives with many. Our conversations taught me a lot and forged valued relationships.

My three words contributed to a meaningful and successful 2021. There were times when I didn’t review them, sometimes for days. Inconsistency led to distractions and poor snap decisions about my time. After a few missteps, I renewed my morning routine, and focus returned.

This year represents a fresh start after dedicating three years to creating Change on the Run. To make room for new opportunities and growth, I am reorienting the words from “delivery” to “discovery.’ My three words to guide me to success for 2022 are activate, breathe and outcomes.

Activate is about creating the conditions where I can be my best. Being at the top of my game requires physical and mental regimens that are difficult to do consistently. Achieving my goal will take a shift in mindset and investment of time. I am tracking my progress daily to avoid lapses, knowing that one miss often leads to another.

Breathe refers to pausing before making commitments. My default response is to say yes quickly to good initiatives, sometimes at the expense of great ones. As Sean Covey counsels, “Saying 'yes' to one thing means saying 'no' to another.” I need to replace my trigger of commitment with one of thoughtful consideration.

Outcomes builds on the evaluation theme of breathe. It is inspired by Marshall Goldsmith’s advice to “make sure that the benefits are truly worth your efforts” of doing something. One of my podcast guests asks his client’s “To what end?” before beginning an assignment. I plan to ask it for all parts of my life.

Completing the “My Three Words” exercise over a couple of days sharpened my goals and pressure-tested words before committing to them. Now, I am taking action.

Every January holds the promise of a great year ahead. The My Three Words planning exercise has helped me achieve my goals for almost a decade. If you need some support to reach yours, what three words will help you make 2022 one of your best?

How to Make Training Effective

 

This post's podcast episode is available at Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

DO THIS

Focus on what people need to do differently.

BY DOING THIS

–        Compare current and new routines.

–        Walk through scenarios in the new ways of working.

–        Get agreement on how roles, accountabilities and tasks will be different.

People learn best when in conversation with their peers. Sharing ideas and asking questions about new requirements leverages people’s know-how and forms a common understanding of what needs to be done in the new world. 

Telling people what will be different forms the foundation of learning. Once they’re clear on what’s new, the team can discuss how these changes will affect how the work will be done in the future, including handoffs between roles.

Discussing real-life scenarios provides context and greater detail to the workflows. These walk-throughs allow team members to visualize how day-to-day tasks will get done. The more real you can make the scenarios, the clearer it will become that people need to work in aligned ways to be successful.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

SCENARIO PLANNER TOOL: What scenario will enable people to practice new routines and capabilities? 

SUCCESS TIP

Increase engagement by asking people to add details to the scenario (including sensory descriptors) as they walk through it.

To learn more about our post and podcast topics, check out the Change on the Run: 44 Ways to Survive Workplace Uncertainty book and audiobook at http://www.changeontherun.com or your favourite bookseller.

#change #changemanagement #transformation #leadership #trainingdevelopment #podcasts

How to Engage Leaders During Change

 This post's podcast episode is available at Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

DO THIS

Demonstrate how the change will further their agenda.

BY DOING THIS

–        Ask leaders how the project can support their agenda.

–        Suggest other ways it can do so.

–        Monitor and report progress on these things.

Leaders are primarily measured on their function’s objectives. This means their focus, energy and support weigh toward their own accountabilities.

The most effective way to engage leaders in supporting you is to align your project’s agenda with their functional objectives. This creates a win-win dynamic where leaders are motivated to support your project’s progress because it helps them achieve personal goals. They are more likely to believe in their analysis of possible connections, but you can complement their views with others they aren’t aware of. Keep these connections top-of-mind for leaders by providing them with frequent project updates in the format they prefer, highlighting how their functional agenda is being served through project advances. 

KNOWLEDGE BITES

GOAL ALIGNMENT CHART: How can I align my project outcomes with my leaders' functional priorities?

SUCCESS TIP

Speak with your leaders’ team members to understand their functional priorities and the language they use to describe them before holding alignment discussions.

The Change on the Run: 44 Ways to Survive Workplace Uncertainty book is now available. Go to http://www.changeontherun.com or your favourite bookseller for more details.

#changemanagement #change #management #business #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #transformation #projectmanagement #presentationskills #engagement #changeontherun

How to Assess Your Strengths

 

This post's podcast episode is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Identify your best change-related skills.

BY DOING THIS

–        Recall what you did during past changes.

–        Read past performance reviews.

–        Ask the people you worked with for feedback.

Everyone goes through a personal transition when their company goes through a business transition—it's normal. Most cope with the stress by busying themselves with change-related tasks, and often become overwhelmed from having too much work to do in the too-little time available.

A better approach is to first take stock of what you do well. Knowing (and using) your strengths is an antidote to fear and an amplifier of abilities.

Reviewing actions you do well is a good start to creating your inventory of change skills. Examples of actions are planning, motivating people and problem solving. Your past performance reviews can reveal patterns of these types of actions and behaviours that have served you well. Your network is another source of feedback on strengths. Ask people for two inputs: what you do well, and what your “watch-out” areas are. Most people will give you balanced views.

Once you have completed your research, pick your best three strengths to leverage when completing your tasks, knowing they will assist you in any situation.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

ADAPTATION STRENGTH ASSESSMENT TOOL: What skills have I demonstrated?

Skills I've observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Skills my managers have observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Skills my team members have observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

SUCCESS TIP

Ask your peers to validate each of these three sets of responses.

To learn about the Change on the Run book go to http://www.changeontherun.com.

How would you describe your personal brand story?

A former colleague, Alejandro Colindres, asked to interview me about my personal brand story for a book he is writing. Fortunately, I update my personal brand regularly because it doubles as my company’s value proposition—my company is an extension of me.

Alejandro said he would ask three questions. Here are my answers:

What would you say your professional brand is?

“I help leaders and their teams achieve their personal and business goals by providing change expertise and skill building.”

Alejandro’s personal brand definition includes three elements: experience, strengths and values.

Experience: change expertise from leading and managing 32 large change initiatives over 30 years across 60 countries.

Strengths: Providing advice and building skills are the core strengths that I deliver through writing, training, coaching, and mentoring.

Values: One of my values is “to serve.” It is referenced through the word “help” and the inclusion of both personal and business goals. Often my work expands beyond the scope of my assignments to give individuals extra support so they can be their best during change.

Walk me through your journey of how you built your brand.

I built my brand through the roles I applied for and held. My first business role was helping small and medium-sized businesses build their skills and capabilities. Each subsequent position had learning or change elements to it, from process reengineering to culture development to mergers and acquisitions. Coaching and mentoring opportunities followed that allowed me to better individualized my support.

How has your brand evolved over time?

My brand is far more focused on outcomes now. Without clear and measurable goals, you can provide the support that might not be useful or of value to people. I learned to be laser-focused on objectives.

Over time, I have realized that everyone goes through a personal transition when their organization does. People must be whole and grounded before they can achieve their best. Change is always personal, and that is where my support begins.

Alejandro and I had a good conversation. What would you say if he asked you his three questions?