January 1, 2010 330 Comments

My 3 Words for 2010

3 words mindmap Setting goals is what January 1st is all about. Over the last few years, I’ve practiced something I call “my 3 words,” where I come up with three words that I use as guidance for how I should conduct my efforts in the year to come. I set goals around these three words. I build deadlines and projects around these words. They don’t have to mean anything to you, but the process might prove interesting to you, especially if you’ve found goal-setting difficult in the past.

My 3 Words: Ecosystems, Owners, Kings

I won’t explain my words in detail, because they relate to me. I’ll share a bit and then, we’ll talk about how you set your own.

Ecosystems – Every project I work on has to fit into an existing ecosystem that I’ve created. I’ve got 4 potential buckets for this: me (as in my personal life), CrossTech Group (the parent organization of my company, New Marketing Labs ), CB.C (chrisbrogan.com and related), and Human Business Works (my as yet-to-be unveiled new project, which is picking up steam). If it doesn’t make sense to what I’ve outlined for goals for each of these projects, I’m not doing in 2010.

Owners – One area I could have improved in 2009 was to help people be owners of their projects. In the ecosystems above, that means that I am not empowering people that I work with in various ways, and I seek to help them feel more ownership of what we’re working on.

Kings – You can thank Marsha Collier for this word, because of advice I received one night at dinner with her. She said that I should “be kingly” with regards to managing criticism, and that essentially meant that I needed to maintain poise and balance and charm and demeanor when dealing with life’s unpleasant moments. I’ve thought of that phrase quite often since, and have evolved it to include my business passions, and so it becomes one of my three guiding words for how I conduct myself and business in 2010.

How You Can Set Your Own Three Words

What will your 3 words be? How do you choose?

Pick three words that help you the way a lighthouse helps a ship in a storm. Give yourself a word that guides you towards a powerful new opportunity, and that keeps you focused on what comes of this year. Use these words as starting points for tangible goals, SMART goals that can be measured and have dates to accomplish tasks by. These words sit above the actual goals, and set your guiding principles in place.

The words I use have larger meaning than the word itself. If I put the word “focus” down, it would be more of a reminder of an action, and not exactly a lighthouse upon which to set my goals. In the past, for instance, in 2006, I used the words “Ask. Do. Share.” They helped me get very successful, but they weren’t entirely large enough to be a flexible planning word. So, what I’m trying to do with the words is come up with something that would take more than a sentence to describe, but that when you think about it, the ideas explode out to fill your head with thoughts of how you might want to conduct yourself.

Side note: the new book Julien and I are working on does this in its title to big effect, so you’ll see this thinking echoed a lot in coming months.

I hope you give this some thought and consider sharing your three words here. It’s been very helpful to my success over the last few years, and I predict it’ll help me navigate the complexities of my upcoming 2010, as well.

Ecosystems. Owners. Kings.

And From The Past

My 3 Words for 2009
My 3 Words for 2008
My 4 words for 2007
My 3 Words for 2006: ask. do. share.

mindmap of cb.c focus areas

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  • http://www.shrm.org/blog Michelle Porter

    My 3 Words for 2010:

    1. Vision – Be the key visionary for http://www.SoulsHarbourRescueMission.org. This involves letting go and letting others rise to the occasion of leadership in their own right.

    2. Decade – I'm at the start of a new decade, both in date and age. This year will be used as preparation in anticipation of how I will dedicate the next 10 years of my life.

    3. Adventure – Never lose sight of that entrepreneurial spirit of risk-taking and embracing life and all it has to offer.

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  • http://thedynamiclife.wordpress.com/ Hugh

    CREATE – new career, mobile life, marathoner, ironman, child

    QUESTION – everything. question cultural norms (thanks tim ferris), question why i do things, question whether there is a better way, question why i care what others think, question what's the worst that could happen, ask why not

    ENJOY – the moment, the drive, the rain, the crying baby, everything

  • http://www.shrm.org/blog Michelle Porter

    My 3 Words for 2010:

    1. Vision – Continue to set the vision and be the key visionary for http://www.SoulsHarbourRescueMission.org. This involves letting go and letting others rise to the occasion of leadership in their own right.

    2. Decade – I'm at the start of a new decade, both in date and age. This year will be used as preparation in anticipation of how I will dedicate the next 10 years of my life.

    3. Adventure – Never lose sight of that entrepreneurial spirit of risk-taking and embracing life and all it has to offer.

  • Pingback: Three Little Words for 2010 » makeorbreakmoments.com

  • http://twitter.com/pawspagal Margo Rose

    I've been a fan of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map Mind Mapping for years. I'm so glad you brought forth this tool for all of us to consider. You truly are one of the thought leaders of our generation.

  • maryeulrich

    I love the images of your words. I'm picturing an ant picking up a hammer to smash a paper-cup.

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  • http://pattyreiser.com Patty Reiser

    My three words for 2010 are: Service, Soar, Success. I want to Soar to Success in 2010 by servicing my clients above and beyond their expectations.

  • http://www.korymathewson.com Kory Mathewson

    Thank you for the wonderful post. This is a great exercise, and it reminds me of something that my family does with time capsules and writing down predictions in four categories: personal, sports, news, and family.

    My three words are: Live, Love, Laugh.

    Live: Do not be afraid to seize opportunities, to excel and be passionate about directions, to make decisions and to fail, because that is what life is.

    Love: Relationships are key. Develop them as best as I can. Work to transforrm short term relationships into long term. Boil interactions down to what matters, and invest mutually in a direction, that will strengthen the bond.

    Laugh: Enjoy yourself. Life is about fun, excitement and laughter. Be funny, and appreciate humor. Make jokes, because sometimes they are the best way to help you through a tough spot.

    Thanks again Chris,… Kory

  • jeffshuey

    Another great post Chris. And another great way to start off the new year right. My three words are: Pace Space Embrace. I took these words from a conversation with a great friend @pamhoelzle and started a blog post on it a few weeks ago. I will finish that post today. Thanks for the inspiration.

    I look forward to another great year or reading your posts and I look forward to your next book with @Julien. I hope to see you at Gnomedex and other events throughout the year. Happy New Year! Keep up the great work.

  • kimatsprig

    Thanks for this exercise. It was really helpful in terms of getting to the kernel of and separating out the chaff.
    My three words:
    Fit – This is more than just a weight loss goal, it extends into cooking and finances.
    Opportunity – Some new opportunties are brewing, but this is also about keeping aware of new opportunities as they present themselves.
    Connection – I have been working and living in a silo for awhile, this is all about connecting and re-connecting.

    Thanks again, useful exercise.

  • http://twitter.com/clayhebert Clay Hebert

    Thanks for pushing us, Chris.

    My three words are: Revere, Ship, Daily

    Revere (as in Paul) – being more of a Connector in the Gladwell definition.

    Ship – Seth Godin taught me the importance of shipping. I have multiple exciting projects to work on this year but it won't mean a damn thing if I don't ship. I will ship.

    Daily – A reminder to myself to post on my blog, DailySense.com every single day in 2010 and to be more healthy every day.

    More detail in my post:
    http://dailysense.com/2010/01/01/my-three-words…

    Thanks, Chris.

  • http://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/693/Intimacy-201 Andrea Howe

    Love love love this, Chris. I especially appreciate the real-life examples provided by those who commented before me — very helpful as I worked on my own 3 words for 2010:

    DELICIOUS. This is how I endeavor describe my life throughout the year. It represents me saying sayonara to the internal dialog that insists, “You *can* have too much of a good thing.” It says “Go for it” to me. It indicates abundance — of clients, love, art, dancing, travel, sunshine, money, quiet time, whatever. Any and all of it.

    LEAPS. This word is about the courage to venture into uncharted territory. It includes leaps of faith, among other kinds.

    GRAVITAS. Charlie (Green) is always urging me to develop my gravitas in the world — to assert and communicate and share what I know as a result of almost 20 years as a female leader in the consulting industry. 2010 is the year for that.

    Thanks for being a catalyst today!

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  • http://www.StevenARodriguez.com Steven A Rodriguez

    I will focus on these three words: Condition, Calling, Connections.

    Condition refers to both the physical and mental well-being. The mind and body are inter-connected, affecting one-another, so making sure both aspects are given equal attention is a must.

    Calling is what you do with your spare time. I want to make it as productive as possible, working on balancing work and play in an effective way. Also, I may know how to succeed, but WHY am I doing what I'm doing? Something I will make time for and reflect upon.

    Connections is simply about making meaningful connections. Who I surround myself with is important, so I will strive to make those connections thrive as best I can. This is a growing collective, however, and the aim is to grow my contacts and not just stagnate at a certain limit.

    Thank you Chris for helping me think in a unique way. The new year is upon us so, as you always mention, let's do good work. :)

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  • http://www.onlineinvestingai.com/blog/ George

    Great idea!

    My 3 words for 2010:
    Ecstasy – Having a great time

    Progress – Moving towards my goals

    Helping – Helping others achieve their goals and improve their lives

  • http://twitter.com/nehalkazim Nehal Kazim

    I like exercises like these that are straight forward and simple to implement.

    My 3 words are: patience, persistence and prayer.

    Patience: Have the ability to stick with projects, ideas and processes rather to give up on them right before reaping the results.

    Persistence: Reinforcing patience but continuing the task. Patience is one thing but to maintain the level of desire, passion and drive to accomplish the task is different to patience.

    Prayer: As I come closer to my religion, I want to be able to practice more.

    I read this article and decided to post my 3 words on my own site @ http://nehalkazim.com/vision-and-growth%20/3-wo….

    Thanks for sharing your 3 words!

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  • http://www.beginnerblogger.com/ Sarge

    focused. busy. engage.

    I could have summed my words with just 'busy' as I'm so focused to do well this year.

    Focused – I feel I'm focused naturally but I need to stay on top of my goals and where I want to be. Just keeping myself busy isn't enough, I need to keep myself busy and stay focused in the right areas.

    Busy – If I keep myself busy then I know I'm on the right track if I'm focused. No more slouching and couch slouching. I loved your construction worker analysis last week. I want to be the construction worker and working real darn hard!

    Engage – I want to build relationships and engage with people online in a number of different ways. Not just through twitter but through my mailing list, polls and other ways people can interact with me and my site(s).

    Here's to a big 2010 in just 3 words!

    Sarge | BeginnerBlogger.com

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  • http://blog.mdsuburbanhomes.com Ken Montville

    It takes a major shift in mindset to change from traditional goal setting (“I'll lost 10 lbs by February 1st) to defining 3 words to guide you through the year, Just an observation. It is probably obvious to a lot of people.

  • http://www.theNoBSinternetguy.com Stew Shaw

    Mary, nice memory jogger, thanks.
    PS – and never tell an ant it can't be done!

    • raghav ahuja

      very good

  • wdaunheimer

    Love the three words idea – I hadn't heard about it until now. Thought of my own three words – action, health and online presence. Combine them with the idea of developing a matrix of content ideas and it's a powerful combination of potential topics. http://broadcasting-brain.com/2010/01/01/20000-…

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  • http://bootstrapblogger.com/ Karilee

    Thanks for challenging me to make my words lighthouses, rather than goals. It was worth the work. Mine are:

    Mark
    Grasp
    Ferret

    They work weirdly well for me. I defined them a bit on my blog, but it would take days of storytelling to really express all they evoke to me.

  • http://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/693/Intimacy-201 Andrea Howe

    I love the image of these words as “lighthouses” – lovely!

  • http://jessicagottlieb.com JessicaGottlieb

    My Three Words are “Marsha Queenly Collier” I'll just keep listening to her. Oh, and you too Chris.

  • http://twitter.com/addoway Addoway.com

    It is all about SMART goals – Make sure your goals are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Based.

    Good luck in 2010 – I will be an owner of Addoway in 2010

    Thanks

  • thomsinger

    Long live the king!

  • http://www.escapethecity.org/ Rob

    My 3 words:

    Enjoy – the journey. It's as good as the destination.

    Learn – something every day. As much as possible.

    Execute – make stuff happen. Initiate don't react.

    Thanks Chris!

  • http://fittorrent.net/ Liana Lehua

    Tremendous post. Very motivating. Thank you for keeping the fire lit beneath my feet. My 3 Words: Schema. Serve. Stimulate.Schema: I come from a database management background, and so tables, fields, and their relationships speak volumes to me. Instead of tables and fields, however, I think of disciplines/areas of expertise and their players. Who do I need to know and learn from? Relationships is about building, contributing to, and nurturing my network.Serve: Listening will continue to be key to knowing how I can be an effective person in helping others. This is how I will know what, how and when to give back from what I learn and know through sharing, teaching and creating avenues and/or tools to help others in ways meaningful to them.Stimulate: Going forward will be about building my life in ways that allow me to support myself, my family, and be an active contributor to the communities where I work and play.

  • http://churchrobin.blogspot.com/ Robin Arnold

    I have a lot of new and potential for new in my life.

    Engage-seek opportunities to meet people, develope relationships, be in fellowship, as well as engage in the new events and places around me. I tend to stay home, safe, isolated.

    Build-build skills, build reputation, build the stuff it takes for a swell life in a new place

    Intentional-quality takes intentionality. I don’t want to waste time on carelessness.

  • Anonymous

    Great stuff. It always takes me at least a 2nd reading for your stuff to sink in :) Just make sure that when you’re being kingly, you don’t become a despot, and you’ll do well….

  • Anonymous

    Chris, I like your ideas. My three words: acceptance, enjoyment, enthusiasm. I’m populating goals under each. Separtely, we’re buying a Mac; which one do you use? Happy New Year and many thanks.

  • http://TruthForLifeCoaching.wordpress.com/ Bridget Haymond

    My 3 words for 2010 are Abundance (Creating abundance by simplifying, organizing and strategizing), Joy (living with an attitude of joy) & Connection (actively connecting with others and being a connector for others).

    LOVE the post and the mind map Chris!

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  • http://socialfactory.wordpress.com/ Johannes

    Thanks for another interesting post! My keywords are
    Value: I want to create more value for others and for myself. Value should be the key parameter for everything I sell, do or buy.

    Clairvoyance: I want to see things as they are, preferably before they occur. This can only be achieved by eliminating distractions and setting aside regular timeslots for structured reflection

    Polyphony: My professional career is important, but so are relationships and passions. It is important that these different areas are coordinated and are stimulated to support each other rather than the opposite

    Well being: I found it hard in the last part of 2009 to keep up with the intended level of physical exercise, but with a few changes to my schedule I should be able to get back on track. For instance, bedtime at 23:00 provides extra time and energy in the morning for jogging.

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  • daveburris

    Stretch…out into the great unknown, connecting people & building community along the way.

    Events…creating great events locally that mirror the networking effect of some of the great national social media & tech events.

    Empty…Empty the tank. Anyone who saw Jon Stewart's tribute to Bruce Springsteen (http://twurl.nl/8pi3mv) knows what I'm saying.

  • grandi

    Great post! I love the interpretation of Kings and being kingly. I have used the mantra “live like royalty” for quite a few years and it does not mean be wealthy. To me it means be disciplined, gracious and honorable. Every time I feel myself slipping into an old habit I say the mantra in my head and I am motivated and my old habit doesn't stand a chance.

  • Anonymous

    Platform (expand mine)

    Impact (others in a positive manner)

    Enjoy (have fun in all I do this year)

  • http://twitter.com/Israel_Garcia Israel García

    Chris,

    What an inspiring post!!! By the time I finished reading the post the 3 words have come up to my mind, tell me what you think:

    - Time. I should be more efficient with time management. It’s time to stablish deadlines and patterns for proceses. I do believe that if I will optimize the time I spent in every task, project, action or whatever and determine the amount I spent in each, I could make my day to day more productive and profitable

    - Learn. As Socrates said: “I only know that I don’t know anything” I really think that acting in that way will give me a deep sense of learning and will take me apart from the arrogance and the perfection. Therefore, I’ll learn from every person, situation, action or whatever is ever made along the road.

    - Apply. As someone said to me once: “you need to put in practice what you’ve learnt” I totally agree, it doens’t make sense if you don’t apply what you read/hear/learn. The countdown starts now

    Hope this make sense.

    I’m going to write a post about it

    Thanks a lot Chris

    Happy 2010

  • Anonymous

    It took me a few weeks to decide on these: Assist, Grace & Selfish

    Assist: I like to help people and in doing that I end up helping myself in some way, be it to learn something new or just an all around sense of feeling good. I will assist in words and deeds.

    Grace: This goes along with your ‘kingly’ theme. I had some experiences in 2009 that required great effort in biting my tongue. This is an ongoing process and I will endeavor to be as graceful as possible when dealing with these unsavory events and whatever comes my way in the future.

    Selfish: Helping people is selfish for me. It makes me feel good, but I also need to step away from situations and look at the big picture. I need to remember that I don’t have to be a martyr and should look out for #1 while still assisting others in whatever capacity I can manage. If I leave myself vulnerable by not being just a little selfish, then there won’t be any resources left for me to assist others.

    And there you have it. I will be selfish with grace while assisting in 2010. Happy New Year Chris!

  • http://blog.jeffharbert.com/ Jeff Harbert

    My three words: Reading, Building, Growing.

    Reading – I love to read, but I haven’t been doing enough of it in the last couple of years. I only read about half as many books as I wanted to in 2009. It’s such an enriching and enjoyable thing to do, and I need to spend more time doing it.

    Building – This one has two meanings. One, I want to build more things with my hands. I have a list a mile long of things I want to build this year, and I’m eager to get started. Two, I want to build (nurture?) my relationships with people. Friends, family, colleagues. Turn acquaintances into friends. That sort of thing. (An aside: I’m curious to see how much these two parts of Building will overlap.)

    Growing – Growing as a person, becoming a better human. I expect Reading and Building to feed Growing quite a lot, but it’ll also have areas of intent all its own.

  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    Very nice stuff, gang. : )

  • http://www.riverwoodwriter.com/ Elizabeth H. Cottrell

    Okay, now that you’ve elaborated on the idea here, I’ve refined my choice for 2010:
    1. Faith – reminder to have faith in myself and in the guidance I will get from God.
    2. Magnifying Glass – reminder to focus on what’s important in the center of my vision and not worry about (or spend too much time on) what’s on the fuzzy edges.
    3. Microphone – reminder to amplify my Heartspoken.com messages of connectivity

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