“Three words to guide your actions to match your goals for the coming year.” ~ Chris Brogan

 ¡Feliz año nuevo!

I hope you’ve emerged from the holiday season healthy, refreshed, and excited about new opportunities ahead. 

While I hope you had a successful 2022, and we know dramatic change doesn’t happen on January 1st, I think most of us are glad to metaphorically turn the page to a fresh year; focus on the future; and plan new accomplishments.

Three Words

For the last nine years, one way I’ve looked forward is to choose three words to guide me through the coming year. I started this after reading Chris Brogan’s blog. Since 2006, Chris has encouraged people to choose three words to frame their goals and intentions for the year.

In 2022, my three words were: reframe, algorithms, and wayfinding. They inspired questions that drove my thinking and work throughout the year. 

Reframe: This was about telling stories about your professional value in ways that matter to people who matter — the people who will pay you for the value you bring — bosses, hiring managers, clients, customers. 

Algorithms: These are defined processes to guide you in new ways of thinking about the value you bring to an organization and in developing the stories that demonstrate their value. 

Wayfinding: This was about getting comfortable with the idea that there is no one answer to solving problems or creating change. It isn’t about where you need to go, it’s about acknowledging that you may not have just one destination.

Three Words of Years Past

Here are some of the words I’ve used in the past few years:

2016: Focus, Connect, Launch

2017: Serve, Engage, Partner

2018: Listen, Inspire, Actualize

2019: Stewardship, Pivot, Community

2020: Vision, Clarity, Empower

2021: Trust, Local, CTA

And for 2023…

Choosing my three words for 2023 was interesting. They came later in the process than usual. In fact, I was getting nervous as December wound down that I wouldn’t have three words before the end of the year. 

Then for some reason, I decided to retake the CliftonStrengths assessment. If we’ve worked together, more than likely you’ve taken the assessment and we’ve used it to frame your Leadership Narrative — your professional value. This is the third time I’ve taken it. I seem to be on ten-year cycles for the assessment. Each time, the results vary just enough to make me rethink my strengths. (By the way, if you’re interested in knowing about my most recent results, send me an email and I’ll tell you my five top strengths.)

And this year, the results informed the three words I’ll use to frame my work in 2023 as I hone the tools and programs that help you achieve your goals for the year. 

Inspire: This is about providing an alternative vision of the future that is meaningful and attainable; one not previously considered.

Integrate: This is about bringing parts into a whole. How do the chapters of your career/life mesh into a story reflecting leadership and wisdom, that creates higher strategic value?

Transform: How does your vision inform your Leadership Narratives and get you to where you want to be? What specific actions need to be taken to get there?

Whether you’re a client or a collaborator, I look forward to continuing to do great work together. If you’re a friend, thanks for your support, it means a lot to me. I hope to continue to build on our relationship in 2023.

And You?

 Can you see the value, of using three words to frame your goals and actions for 2023? If so, what three words can you come up with?

Talk to me. Leave a comment or send an email. I want to hear what you’ve got to say.

A version of this post was sent earlier to my email newsletter subscribers. If you’d like to get my best work first, subscribe to the newsletter. I NEVER share your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time if it’s not a good fit.

If you’re struggling with how to achieve your career goals let’s chat about how I can help. You can use this link to my calendar to schedule the best time to talk.

Image copyright: phanuwatnandee