My 3 Words – Three words to guide your actions
4+ years of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, Political Unrest, Earthquakes, and the Pandemic
As much as I want to move forward and not think of how 2020 started with earthquakes and fell into the pandemic, as we reach 2022, the pandemic continues for many reasons.
2021 has been a continuation of many challenges that started in 2020. For us that live in Puerto Rico, it's been a continuation of issues that were existent pre-hurricane Maria and have gotten worst as the Island continues to create policies that are beneficial for those who use Puerto Rico as a Tax Haven.
The challenges of the past four years and 90+ days after Hurricane Maria have made me very selective in my goals and this year in the three words I am choosing.
The Importance and how practical it is Choosing 3 Words for the New Year
As I have explained before, I started doing this exercise when my good friend Chris Brogan shared how he prepares for the new year.
That particular year I was thinking of moving away from doing IT Security consulting full time and shifting over to what has become Limonade Media Corp. and my WordPress Development and SEO agency.
3 Words to Serve as a Compass Throughout The Year
The last part of 2021 was not as busy as I wanted but sort of busier than I expected. With that in mind, I used my slow season in my business in improving some habits that have to do with making sure I am on top of many things a small business owner might leave to the side and not prioritize.
I want to make sure the 2022 three words can be a simple exercise to keep me on track without making it too overwhelming to handle, and it might be an opportunity for you to create a simple habit that will make us have an incredible 2022.
Hopefully, the 3 words will help us all do the following:
- Guide us throughout the new year.
- Create Simple Habits that Help us do more of what we like and remove what we don't want to do or dislike.
I usually pick three images and keep the list handy, along with an inspirational quote like Bruce Lee's Be Water my Friend. I make a routine to review and recite these words a few times a day or at least once and think about what that means to me on that particular day and week.
After a few weeks of doing this, I am transparent in what I need to focus on and apply that to the current events and goals I have to reach.
Using Action Words Helps Us Apply Those Important 3 Words
I make sure I choose action words that will help me correct my personal and business efforts.
Those words will guide me, and ideally, they can help me achieve my long-term goals while aligning with my short-term goals.
Getting Ready for the New Year 2022
Once again, to get ready for 2022, I choose three words that will guide me throughout the new year.
So here I share with you my three words for 2022.
My 3 Words for The New Year 2020
Higher
One question I am constantly asking myself is, "Who do I serve?"
It's also one of the first questions I ask my clients to understand who they serve.
Initially, I had chosen the word Serve to keep it simple. But after chatting with my friend and mentor Chris Brogan, he said the word higher came to his mind.
Higher will help me focus on making sure I serve the right crowd. I also believe this word sort of aligns with the other two I've chosen in a better way.
When I return to my first memories, I remember always being interested in serving others.
I remember one time I ended up with stitches on my forehead. I was about seven years old, and I realized that the not-so-safe 80's Burger King play area (made mostly of steel) had an issue in one of the connecting bridges. I stood there and kept telling others to be careful with the bridge. I was so concerned about others not getting hurt I forgot about myself, and to this day, I have a scar that reminds me that when you serve, you also have to make sure you take care of yourself. Using higher instead of serve reminds me I have to take care of those who are super important to me, and I have to take care of myself.
At 17, I decided to enlist in the U.S. Army because I wanted to serve. I was lucky enough to be involved in a few "humanitarian missions" where the U.S. Army built clinics and water wells for El Salvador and Honduras communities.
I left the military because I was not serving my value or the interests of the communities I represent. I became pro-Puerto Rico's Independence because of my experiences living in Central America with the U.S. Military.
I wanted to serve better the communities that looked like me and had the same challenges. I did not want to benefit Halliburton and the many other corporations and stakeholders that benefit from the U.S. Military.
I fast forward to today, and I always make sure I think of who I serve. There are many ways we can benefit those who we care for, admire, and represent us.
Next year, I want to make sure that I serve what Seth Godin's book, "This is Marketing," calls your Small Viable audience.
As I take care of myself returning to the gym, I focus my energy on benefitting those I care about the most. Those individuals are a priority for my family, personal life, and business endeavors.
Who do you serve? How can I better serve you as my reader? Leave a comment below or reach out via Twitter and Instagram.
Endorse
I think I do an excellent job of reaching out to those who matter. Over the year's I've met so many people that I respect, admire, and care for that it becomes harder to stay in touch with them.
With our business Limonade Media, I've also gained an impressive portfolio of clients that, on occasions, I might not share publicly how much I learn from them and how proud I am of them.
When it comes to Activism, Business, and my Personal life, I think I am privileged to have many intelligent and notable people around me.
I want to make sure I spotlight them and the fantastic things they do. I feel I do this occasionally, but I want to make sure it becomes something I do more often.
I not only want to show my gratitude for having them in my life, but also I want them to connect with others in whatever their life or business mission is.
The same goes for seeking change as a marketer, and that is what you are constantly striving towards. I want to create that change by connecting people doing extraordinary things but adding how many times I endorse a project, body of work, and the people behind those projects. In this manner, we can all be aware that there are fantastic people everywhere; especially in Puerto Rico, doing some pretty challenging things because they are committed to the well-being of our communities and making the world a better place.
Accommodate
When you start a business, one of the main things is finding clientele that will support that business.
Some business owners and entrepreneurs are lucky enough to know as their ideal client and can reach profitability reasonably quickly.
I started my business in 2008, and it has gone through many iterations. I feel it has become more profitable and provided me with fewer headaches on every occasion on every occasion on every occasion.
But every time I run into a challenge, I make sure I review what I am doing wrong and what I can control and change to make it better.
That is where the word accommodate becomes critical.
The past years have made me stop and review the stakeholders in my business and personal life, as a small business owner, the personal leaks into the business and vice versa.
So I need to make sure I can accommodate and segment issues for the business in the business and personal problems with the personal issues. I believe I've done a better job over the years. But yet there is still room for improvement.
I also need to make sure I accommodate many other important things in our lives, especially our health. I need to make sure I prioritize my physical, mental, financial, and emotional health over every decision I make.
Accommodating health as a priority will help me identify what I have to prioritize to grow my business and as a person.
I believe the word accommodate will help me find a space for all digital, mental, and physical clutter in my life. Eventually, this will help me focus on what I need to do next to improve the quality of life for myself and my loved ones.
I Prefer 3 Words Vs. New Year's Resolutions
I have failed at keeping resolutions; I am sure that you have probably failed too.
The most common reasons we fail at our New Years' Resolutions are:
- setting unrealistic goals
- not keeping track of their progress
- forgetting about it
- too many resolutions
Don't create a long list of overwhelming items you know you will not follow through with.
In my case, this method has worked for me for 11+years so I will stick with it for now.
Choosing three words will allow me to focus on less and allow me enough time to get it right as the year consumes itself.
What approach are you taking? Are you choosing three words or putting the odds against you when following through with a New Year's resolution?
Applying the 3 Words Every Day
It might seem complicated to choose three words, but even harder to stay on track throughout the year. In the past, I have used a daily software reminder.
Finding a way to remind yourself throughout the year will keep you on track with your three words, making it easier for you to commit to them.
"Remember that your day is your week is your month is your year. Your success comes from each choice you make along the path. And it’s always your choice." ~ Chris Brogan
My 3 Words Over The Years
"If you are making a resolution for humanity then every day is your new year celebration" ~ Devesh Tamta
Once again, I have to be grateful that physical health was present, although the challenges we've lived in 2021 make me prioritize my mental health and fitness.
These past 4+ years have taught me I have to bounce back and be ready for more uncertainty. There is only one way to fight uncertainty, and it's taking care of yourself and understanding you can only control certain things, not others. Easier said than done.
I want to start the year with a few things in mind to improve my focus and start with a path I want to follow. Like the many other lists of three words I've used over the years, I believe these three words will help me.
Thank you for taking the time to read my only blog post written in 2021, and I want to send good tropical vibes to whatever part of the world you are reading this from.
Happy New Year!
Share Your Three Words
Feel free to share your three words and your approach to starting a new year in the comments area or contact me directly or comment below.
