636 words – less than 2 minutes to read, but a good half hour to ponder.
Later today, on the Weekly – Senior Pastor Happy Hour call – the Senior Pastors present will share their “Three Words” to guide 2021. We will also have a few “special guests” to share theirs.
But I thought this exercise would be useful to you as well. It’s useful tool to guide thinking/action every year.
Note: I stole the idea from Chris Brogan, an author and coach I follow. https://chrisbrogan.com/stories/social-media/3words2020/
Each year give yourself Three Focus Words that will help guide your year. Resolutions are often failures by January 15.
Instead, keep coming back to remind yourself about where you need to focus. They are anchors and guideposts for 2021. They sum up where you need to focus your time, energy and efforts.
They need to have enough meaning so that you know where they will snap your head and heart back to help in all parts of your life – your personal, family and church.
They are for you as the leader, and not for the whole organization. They keep you focused. Sort of like a mantra for the year. And they are for one year, not forever. Each year builds and changes.
IF the three words were written on your to do/not do list every day, or you used them each day on a walk, where would they lead you?
These words help you zoom out and zoom in to focus where it is needed.
A guide:
NOT phrases.
NOT fancy – plain enough for you to understand.
Action oriented mostly, but also capture heart of the what for your life this year.
To guide whole year or at least half year. Don’t change them.
Growth opportunities for your life.
Broad enough to apply to multiple life areas, but focused enough for you to apply.
Examples from others:
Discipline, Movement, Stacks, Prioritize, Elevate, Community, Organize, Consistent, Empower, Stretch, Reproduce, Multiply, Adapt, Intentionality, Energize, Track, Equip, Arm, Leverage, Push, Package, StructureSequence, ReasonedInnovation.
That last ones illustrate the combination of words you can use to customize something that fits you!
Usage:
Reminding you where you need to be focused.
Helping you rebalance or focus your time.
Shared with others to ask you how you are doing.
Implication Thoughts after the ad
After today’s call I will make a list of the words they used, without attribution and share a one- page document with my Three Words for the coming year.
If you want to see a copy – just email me directly at dave.travis(at) generis.com.
But in return – I want to know your “THREE WORDS.”
This week on the podcast – Ben Cachairas of Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland.
Go to https://greatthingsGodhasdone.substack.com/ to listen and subscribe.
And if you want to apply for an invitation to the weekly Dave’s Happy Hour Weekly Call, just send a smoke signal to Linda.Stanley@generis.com to apply.
Implications:
If you shared your three words with your team, they could help you return to those when you are off track.
Likewise, you could hold your own team accountable for their three words over the next year to their own three words. You could encourage them personally and professionally.
What if you used them with your board to build a better relationship with them? Having a small pocket card with all your board names and their words would serve as a prayer list for you and a way to track with them over the coming year.
[Side note: As I have worked the past four years with churches in my Building Better Boards Process, I note that those pastors that know their board member’s personal and business goals for their own lives tend to have better board relationships and are stronger boards.]
PS. If you have interest in learning more about the Building Better Boards Process, reach out with an email and we can send you the one pager about it.