Have you ever been overwhelmed and had no idea what to do next? Has your to-do list ever been so long that you felt like forward progress was just an illusion? I have, and it’s rough. It’s a deflating feeling.          

So what in the world do you do when you feel this way? What do you do when you don’t know what to do? The answer I found has led me to more progress and better productivity than ever before. So what is the answer? Simple: Commit to 3.

When you don’t know what to do, commit to 3. Committing to 3 is easy. Choose three tasks that will move you forward and commit to-do them in a day. When you’re overwhelmed it’s easy to do nothing and get farther behind. Committing to 3 is an easy way to move incrementally forward and make progress in the busiest times.         

The cool thing is there’s an app by the same name to help with that. The “Commit to 3” app allows you to choose three tasks, assign them to the day, and check them off as you complete them. I consider it a good and productive day when I finish all three tasks on my list.

Think about it this way. Accomplishing 3 major tasks in a day doesn’t seem like much progress. However, accomplishing three tasks a day over 5 days leads to taking 15 steps forward in a week. Taking 15 good steps feels a lot like progress to me!        

The key to committing to 3 is choosing the right tasks. My goal is to choose 3 major tasks that will move the ministry forward. If I don’t do anything else that day, it will still be a success if my 3 main tasks are completed. Below are a couple of examples of what a day of committing to 3 looks like for me.  

The Rule of 5

 
     In 1993, Jack Canfield and Mark Hansen had a dream of getting their book on The New York Times  bestseller’s list. They sought advice from a variety of best selling authors, and in the end were more overwhelmed with information than ever. (sound familiar?) They were completely overwhelmed and had no idea where to start. 
 
     Suffering from analysis paralysis, the two men asked a teacher and friend for advice. What he told them changed the way they approached the problem in front of them. He shared an analogy of a lumberjack cutting down a large tree to illustrate his point. A lumberjack could cut down any tree, regardless of its size, by simply taking 5 good swings a day. Over time the tree would fall. It was out of this analogy that the rule of 5 was born.
 
     Canfield and Hansen came up with what they called “The Rule of 5.” The Rule of 5 is a commitment to taking five daily actions that will move a person’s goal towards completion. The premise is that by completing 5 good actions per day you can achieve any goal over time. Since then, the rule of 5 has been taught by leadership experts around the world.
 
     So why do I Commit to 3 instead of following The Rule of 5? The reason is to make room for the right distractions. Most days come with a variety of distractions and unexpected events. I often fell short when following the rule of 5 because I stopped for important and unexpected things throughout the day. Committing to three leaves margin in my day to stop for the unexpected. This has helped me to complete more goals while maintaining availability for the unexpected. 
 

How to Commit to 3

So how do you Commit to 3? What steps do you need to take to get started and move toward your goals?

 
    1) Choose the right tasks.

     Committing to 3 is about more than committing to completing three tasks. It’s about completing the right tasks! These items need to be big enough to stretch you but small enough to realistically complete. Finding the right tasks and how much you can do each day may take a little time, but it’s well worth it. Find what is too much to get done in a day and dial it back about 10%. That’s the sweet spot you’re looking for: stretched but attainable.
 
 
     2) Follow through.

     Perhaps the most important part of committing to 3 is following through. Completing your 3 action items each day will give you a sense of accomplishment and progress. It’s incredibly energizing and encouraging!
 
     The opposite is also true. Failing to complete your three items regularly can be deflating. Good follow through is vital.
 
     Here’s the key to following through for me: plan your day around your three. I plan my whole day around my three action items. I schedule time in my calendar to work on them. I treat them like important meetings. They are the most important things I will do in the day, so I make time for what’s most important. 
 
     So how do you follow through on your three? Simple: plan your day around your three; schedule time for your three; & protect time for your three. Placing 3 items on your calendar & honoring the time you scheduled is vital for following through!
 
 
     3) Rinse and repeat until you see your dream.

      Finally, keep doing it day in and day out. Taking five swings at a tree won’t bring it down, but five swings everyday over time will! The key here is consistency. Don’t stop. Don’t give up. Keep working your three.
 
     I even commit to 3 on my off days. These days include personal projects and family time. What’s most important to me on my day off goes on my list of three. Why do I do this? Because I want to be consistent in my approach. And because I have dreams for my family and personal achievement that are just as big as my ministry dreams!
 
 
     Consistency is the key. Commit to 3 every day, and rinse and repeat until you see your dream become reality. Then get a new dream and do it all again. 

       Committing to 3 is committing to progress. What are your dreams? What three items need your attention today to see it become a reality? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments sections below. We would also love to have you join our community by subscribing below. We want to see you reach your dreams and lead next level! Will you commit to 3 today?