The Power of Three
June 2025
Ever feel like you're juggling too many tasks, prepping for every possible scenario, or trying to remember a dozen things to say in one conversation? You’re not alone. We live in a world that often equates more with better.
But in my coaching practice, I’ve found that more often leads to overwhelm. That’s why I help clients anchor into the Power of Three — a simple, effective way to stay focused, direct, and clear.
The idea is this: Whatever the situation, narrow your focus to the three most important things. Not everything. Just the essential three.
Think about it. So many concepts in life are distilled into threes:
Beginning, middle, end
Mind, body, spirit
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Lights, camera, action
Why? Because three is manageable. It’s memorable. It’s motivating.
Examples of Applying the Power of Three
Here are a few ways I use this principle with clients:
1. When preparing for an important conversation:
Ask yourself: If I only get to say three things, what must I make sure to articulate?
This keeps you grounded and focused, ensuring you share what matters most and not clouding those points with a lot of unnecessary details.
2. When setting personal or professional goals:
Define your three main goals for the month / quarter / year.
This allows you to prioritize and acts as a compass, helping you say ‘yes’ to what aligns and ‘no’ to what distracts. And those goals don’t have to be massive, either; they just have to be meaningful to you.
3. When showcasing yourself in an interview:
Identify your top three professional experiences and top three core skills.
These become your essential talking points — flexible enough to adapt into your response to almost any question, yet focused enough to convey confidence and clarity without having to remember your entire work history.
4. When planning your day:
Ask yourself: What three tasks (big or small), if completed, would make today feel productive and meaningful?
This helps you move from busy to effective, especially when you’re feeling like there’s way too much on your plate.
5. When making a tough decision:
Clarify the three criteria that matter most to you right now related to your decision and rate your options against those criteria.
This cuts through the noise, simplifies your thinking, and builds confidence in your ultimate choice.
In a world full of long to-do lists, overstuffed agendas, and constant information overload, choosing your three is an act of clarity and freedom. Because when everything feels important, nothing truly is.
When you define your core three, everything else becomes supporting material… or otherwise is likely unnecessary.
Try it out this week: Pick a situation that’s causing you stress. Ask yourself, What are my three? Then breathe. Anchor into them. And let the rest go.
Because sometimes, three is all you need.
