My 3 Words for 2012

Every year (since around 2006), Chris Brogan comes up with 3 words that will help define his goals and experiences for the coming year. Last year, my 3 words were: Create, Manage, Focus.

I think I managed pretty well, though looking back I now see areas for improvement as well. I met my goal of “creating” in many areas. And I think I did pretty well “managing” our community (at Diverse Solutions and here).

“Focus” was the hardest for me. The reason for this is that I have a lot of ideas so it’s easy for me to get scatter-brained trying one thing, then another. It’s the whole “trying to do too many things at once” thing. I think I’ve improved, sure, but I also realize I need to tighten up my systems. Stick to my routines, and the things that work for me.

With that said, here are…

My 3 Words for 2012: 

Publish – To me, this one means more than just writing a post and hitting the publish button. It’s about showing up, daily (here and on our company blog). About showing up, weekly, for our members at Real Estate Blog Topics. But also, and most importantly, showing up in digital spaces outside of my immediate network. This means guest posting and interacting in other communities outside of my own and having the confidence to do so.

Lastly, I’ve been studying/observing how Thom Chambers has grown In TreeHouses. So I’ve been teaching myself InDesign and I’d love to write one ebook per month at Diverse Solutions (or one every other month). Too aggressive a goal? Maybe. But possible? Yes.

The content is there, the next step is just getting it down in writing. It’s not the writing that’s difficult, it’s the “getting started” that’s hard.

Systems – By now, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t work. So this year will be about focusing and creating systems. Then, sticking to the process that works because everything else is just a distraction. By now, I’ve learned the routine that helps me be most creative. I have a list of targets and goals that I want to hit and I know that if I stick to a plan, manage my systems, and hit it day-in and day-out, I can meet those goals.

Growth – I want to take what we’ve done, what we’ve created in 2011, and double/triple/quadruple it. More subscribers, more customers. In some areas, this will mean partnering with others and I’ve talked to a few people about this already. The next step is outlining some goals, creating some systems and executing. It’ll mean doing things and seeking help from others, not just trying to do it all on my own.

Publish. Systems. Growth.

What are YOUR 3 words for 2012? What 3 words define your challenges and goals for 2012?