Chris explains on his blog post My 3 Words for 2019:
January 1, 2019 / CHRIS BROGAN
My 3 Words for 2019
Instead of a New Year’s resolution, I practice a ritual called “My 3 Words.” The idea is that you think up three words that will help guide your choices and actions over the coming year. This has become quite an event, with thousands and thousands of people working their way through the ritual and planning their year based on their own three words.
What is My 3 Words About?
The My Three Words idea is simple. Choose 3 words (not 1, not 4) that will help guide your choices and actions day to day. Think of them as lighthouses. “Should I say yes to this project?” “Well, does this align with my three words?”
How to Choose Three Words
I started this process back in 2006. Back then, my 3 words were “Ask. Do. Share.” I picked these very simple words and they served me very well. One of my best years ever. When I asked questions, I learned. When I took action based on what I learned from asking, I made more ground and took over more of the universe. When I shared what I learned with everyone, I made connections and some friends.
Choose any three words you feel will guide you forward. I can tell you a few things about this:
Don’t make it a phrase. “Publish the book” is a terrible choice. “The” is wasted.
Try to make the words actionable. “Expand” is better than “bigger.”
The more utilitarian the word can be, the better. These words have to be your compass.
Stick with the 3 words all year. Every time I’ve changed one a month or two later, the year mucks up. I can’t explain it. But I can report it.
Years where I’ve tried “fancy” words with layers of meaning, I lost the thread. Use plain words, maybe.
BUT the words don’t have to mean anything to anyone but you. Don’t worry about explaining them.
Continue reading Chris Brogan's My 3 Words for 2019
Here are My 3 Words for 2019:
This year it was easy to pick my first two words, and the third was going to be a pun, but the website I was going to base my pun on rebranded. So I've got two words that go together, and a third that continues on from 2018.
READ
I do a lot of reading online, and I read the print newspaper every day, but it's been hard for me to make a dent in my library of 'books to be read.' I've been reading the Steve Jobs biography for a while. That's a big book.
So to jumpstart my reading of more books, I'm giving myself permission to read the first chapter of lots of books. I should be able to read one chapter a day, which would means looking into 365 books this year. I'm not going to promise that, but will make an effort to read a chapter a day.
WRITE
I do lots of writing online, whether it be finding interesting news stories and sharing with my own summary, or posting technical how-to's about things that I learn. One project I'm working on is an auto-biography. It started when I began putting together lessons learned for a short 10 minute presentation, but it was difficult to narrow it down to 10 minutes of content, so I decided to write down everything, which has now grown into 19,710 words.
This year's goal is to review and edit what I have, and add in things that need to be included, ending up with a manuscript.
IMPEACH
Last year I did six words.
My first three words for 2018 were Engage, Share, Hold
Make 2018 the year you engage, share facts, and hold elected officials accountable for their statements, decisions and actions.
My second three words were: IMPEACHMENT, CONVICTION and REMOVAL.
This year I'm keeping it simple, IMPEACH.
#My3Words
