3 Words for 2024

I’ve been following the practice of choosing My Three Words at the beginning of the year for some time now. The idea comes from Chris Brogan, who started in 2006 with “Ask. Do. Share” as his guiding words for the coming year. Here’s how he describes the process:

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 in the coming year. Think of them as lighthouses. “Should I say yes to this project?” “Well, does this align with my three words?”

The words only need to have meaning for you and that there’s no need to define them. However, I like to write a few words about each one, just so that I don’t forget what I was thinking at the time. For more examples, see the My 3 Words history.

Making your 3 words public is good for one’s accountability and the feedback can be enlightening. Here is this year’s collection:

Collaborate 

While it is certainly possible to work effectively as a one-man (or woman) show, a team-like environment offers several advantages: 

• Each person can contribute their own best skills
• Others are available for feedback
• Each person brings their own network to the group

Contribute

Thoughts and ideas that have value should be made available to others. The audience may be limited, such as for ideas related to a specific project, or broad as in blog or social media posts. Sharing forces ideas to become more fully formed and articulated.

Equitable

In an equitable situation, everyone involved feels that they are receiving good value, in proportion to what they are being asked to contribute. This may not be true moment-to-moment but it should feel this way over the lifespan of a project.

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