Choose Just 3 words to guide your thinking and you can forget about making & breaking New Year resolutions. Yes, those old-fashioned, quick to be discarded ‘resolutions” are totally out of step with today’s need to be nimble and flexible, particularly as we enter a noise filled 2025.
Why Three words?
Taking three words of value and actions for you become a guide to choices we make every day. I have mine posted right above my desk. I use them as a tool to evaluate my daily actions, and results or progress.
“Words are software” says Chris Brogan. “They can drive an action that can make things work for you.” Choose three words that can be helpful decision-making tools. Nouns work well. Three words that can point you in the right direction, helping you decide. They guide you toward your intentions all year long if you keep them top of mind every day.
In 2006, Chris Brogan began what has become an annual tradition of gathering a group of friends, clients, consultants and thinkers to work through the best three words to guide each of us in the coming year. I have been doing this for about ten years now with consistent success and certainly less frustration over the year.
Happy New Year 2025 Goal Chat
Way back in 2021 I spoke with Top Goal Setting Coach Debra Eckerling who suggested an early December start to the year and I have joined her each of these last five years in reviewing prior year goals and planning big wins.
Last night I joined her Goal Chat panel with TV meteorologist Jennifer Weather (Jennifer Ast) and Stacia Crawford, two spirited and gifted media experts who specialize in maximizing both long & short time spots.
All three are powerful and regular onscreen personalities who drive positive energy and offer a consultant’s boost to others. I found their ability to leverage even a 30 second spot into effective use of time. To them, two minutes is a luxurious opportunity to get big things done. Know your goals, have a plan, explore your options, engage a team.
If 3 words can act as guardrails, then your accountability partner can help be the conduit to effective goal measurement and progress. We start the new year early and recognize best wins and most important upcoming goals. Debra has played that role for me while also building a business helping Busy Professionals Set & Achieve Goals. She offers consulting services and group Workshops.
2025 is moving fast and furious
This best selling author has also pivoted for 2025 to deal with the fast and furious speed of change all around us. Her new book 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting: How to Stay Focused, Grow Your Network and Get More Done in Less Time is written in such a way that you can choose the issues your up against and find tips and processes from successful leaders across many fields.
With a foreword by motivational speaker Brian Tracy and an afterword by Guy Kawasaki, former Apple Evangelist and breakthrough business leader, I feel honored to be among the people asked to deliver a secret. While I won’t share mine here (the book launches January 28th) I will give you the spoiler alert – that the secret to Goal Setting and Goal Getting is, there are no secrets… just hard earned, good sensible tips.
But beyond tips and encouragement, our conversation was really about the bigger picture of how to succeed continuously across a full year. A year that is likely to have unplanned & unexpected twists disrupting any neatly scripted game plan. One good way to proceed is to recognize big and small wins.
To use my three words well, I work daily to insure my actions and decisions are in alignment with what I want to accomplish during the upcoming year. The more noise and chaos, the greater the need to measure actions through this qualitative lens.
For 2025, I’ve chosen to operate daily with these three words in mind:
GRATITUDE – given the times we are each in – gratitude is a key guiding word to start off any thinking and or to head off any negativity.
ALIGN – This is the word that has me check twice before saying yes. Are my interests and strengths well aligned with the opportunity -if yes – say yes. If no – then the answer needs to be no.
ACT – The best of plans can be easily sidetracked when they remain theoretical. To act upon one’s plan is the best way to guarantee forward motion.
THINK BIG
2025 is a year where you can think big, audacious plans and accomplish your biggest dreams. Help yourself succeed by aligning and surrounding yourself with a positive support team and act. Take that first step and then the next to accomplish what you previously only dared to dream.
I am filled with Gratitude for friends and mentors like Debra Eckerling and Chris Brogan who freely share their skills and experience and exchange ideas with me.
Your Three words?
What are your three words for this year that will work to make things happen? Let me know and then, do take action.
Here are my three words from earlier years.