Three Things

I have a suggestion for your New Year’s resolutions.

Skip them this year.

Instead, try something that changed my life about twenty years ago—and still shapes how I plan every year.

Pick Three Things

Think of three things you want to accomplish in 2026.

I know—you could list twenty. Maybe forty. Don’t. That’s not the exercise.

If you can only think of one or two, that’s fine. But most people have at least three meaningful outcomes they’d genuinely like to reach.

These aren’t tasks. They’re outcomes.

Now, Apply a Filter

For each of the three, ask yourself this:

How much of the outcome depends on my effort, and how much depends on someone else’s decision?

If your goal requires:

• other people buying something,

• a committee approving something,

• or conditions you’ve never successfully influenced before,

…then don’t make it one of your Big Three.

I’m not saying abandon those goals. I’m saying this:

For your Big Three, the result should be at least 90% dependent on your own effort and execution.

That distinction matters more than most people realize.

Define the Win

Now imagine it’s January 1, 2027.

For each of the Big Three, write a clear description of what a win looks like. Be specific. Not vague. Not hopeful. Concrete.

Now rewind to October 1, 2026.

You haven’t crossed the finish line yet, but real progress is visible. Describe exactly where you are.

Do the same for:

• July 1

• April 1

These become your Quarterly Milestones—not guesses, not aspirations, but markers on the road.

Progress is rarely a straight line. Some results accelerate over time; others taper. There will likely be a bump or two. Maybe even a short stay in the ditch. That’s not failure. That’s life.

Turn Goals into Steps

Now answer one simple question for each of the Big Three:

What is one thing I can do tomorrow that moves me toward my next milestone?

It will probably be small. That’s fine. Small steps compound.

Finally, picture yourself during a quiet moment each week—Sunday afternoon works for many people—planning the next seven days.

When you identify the daily steps, put them on your calendar. Block the time the same way you would a meeting.

I call this making an appointment with your own success.

A Hard Truth About Time

If you can’t seem to find time for your daily steps, there’s an uncomfortable truth to face:

You already have all the time you need to do what you truly want to do.

It’s never really that you “can’t find time.”

It’s that something else felt more important in the moment.

A boss with a question.

A show you didn’t want to pause.

A game you didn’t want to miss.

Life is full of interruptions—we all know that. The real question isn’t whether you’ll get knocked off course. It’s whether you choose to get back on.

And that choice—made repeatedly—is what determines whether your Big Three become real.

Keys to Success

• Choose things that genuinely matter

• Choose outcomes your effort can control

• Plan your week before it begins

That’s it.

No resolutions.

Just three things—and the discipline to keep choosing them.

A Personal Note from Roger

In this space this week, I’ve mentioned opening 10 private strategy calls.

Those spots filled quickly—which I appreciate more than you know.

That said, I don’t love turning people away, so here’s what I’m going to do.

I’m going to keep the invitation open for 24 more hours.

With everything else underway, it may be a little while before I can open additional slots like this again. But if this is a conversation you’ve been considering, go ahead and schedule it. I’ll work you in over the next few days.

My hope is that this helps—whether you’re sorting through real estate decisions, business questions, or simply want clarity going into 2026.

If you’d like to learn more, see what others have said about these conversations, and schedule your own, you can do that here.