“Three Things” – A Simple Daily Practice That Moves You Toward Big Goals

“Three Things” – A Simple Daily Practice That Moves You Toward Big Goals

By James Smith, Executive Director Cynthiana-Harrison County Chamber of Commerce

When it comes to growing our Chamber membership, I’ve made a commitment: Every weekday, I will do three things to move closer to that goal.

It might be an email to a prospective member, a phone call to follow up, a walk-in visit to a business I’ve never spoken to, or simply taking a few minutes to learn more about someone’s company before reaching out. The point is, no matter how busy the day gets, I’ve built in a habit of consistent, intentional action.

This simple practice—doing three focused things each day—has become one of the most effective tools in my personal and professional growth toolkit. And the best part?

You can apply it to any goal you’re working toward.

Why “Three Things”?

I’ve learned that success isn’t usually about one big moment. It’s the small, steady things we do each day that build momentum and lead to results.

Author Robert Collier said it best:

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”

And as Will Ferrell put it:

“I’ve always had, when I needed it, an extreme amount of focus that I could put into something. That has served me well.”

How to Use the “Three Things” Practice

You can apply this method to any area of life or work—growing your business, building better health habits, improving customer relationships, or even launching a new product. Here’s how:

1. Define Specific Actions Decide what types of actions move you closer to your goal. If you’re a business owner, it might be reaching out to three past customers. If you’re in retail, it could be posting three product highlights to social media or restocking key items.

2. Maintain Accountability Keep a notebook, planner, or digital tracker where you jot down your daily three. I personally keep a running list—seeing it build week after week is a great motivator.

3. Reflect and Adjust Not every action will be a win, and that’s okay. The value is in the motion. At the end of the week, ask yourself what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll tweak next week.

As Marie Forleo says:

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, but what you do consistently.”

Your Challenge This Week: Try It

Pick one goal you’ve been wanting to make progress on—big or small. Then every weekday, commit to doing just three things that move you forward.

Not only will you feel more productive, but you’ll build habits that bring real results over time. The “Three Things” method is simple—but it works.

Let’s build the kind of community and business culture where daily intentional action becomes the norm.