Wise people claim that the best way to accomplish what we want in life, be it
- Getting physically fit and in good shape
- Building successful company
- Enjoying time with loved ones
- Spending more time with friends and doing what we love
- Going on Holidays
It’s all linked to writing / identifying focused goals which are specific and achievable.
We all know about SMART, which is
S – Smart
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time Bound
But the question here is, we all know goals are important, goals are necessary to be successful, and goals are the reason for our motivation.
– How often do you set goals?
– How often do you revisit your list?
– When do you review your progress?
Goal setting is not dull; it’s exciting if done with proper guidance.
There are several benefits and advantages to having a set of goals to work towards.
– Setting goals helps trigger new behaviours and Habits.
– It helps guide your focus and helps you sustain that momentum in life.
– Goals also help align your focus and promote a sense of self-mastery.
Remember what Peter Drucker says, “You cannot improve what you cannot measure.”
Well, you can’t manage what you don’t measure, and you can only improve upon something you properly manage.
Setting goals can help you do all of that and more.
Edward Locke and Gary Latham (1990) are leaders in goal-setting theory. According to their research, goals not only affect behaviour and job performance but also help mobilize energy, leading to a higher effort overall. Higher action leads to an increase in persistent effort.
Accomplishing the goal can lead to satisfaction and further motivation or frustration and lower motivation if the goal still needs to be completed.
According to the University of Scranton, 92 percent of people who set New Year’s goals never achieve them. That leaves 8 percent of us in a very elite category of goal-achievers. What do they do differently that 92 percent of us are missing out on?
Well, they use the Mantra 9-6-3.
Let us understand the rule of three before I explain the Mantra 9-6-3.
The Rule of Three is a productivity system that helps you achieve your goals and get things done.
Instead of trying to achieve everything and getting into a rat race, building a productive mindset is essential.
The productivity mindset makes the best use of available resources — time, energy, emotions, money & effort. It is not trying to do everything and be everything or even doing something in the quickest way possible. It is making the most of what you have while enjoying the process.
The Rule of Three focuses only on your 3 most important goals.
By wiring your brain to engage in fewer tasks, you increase your focus and better productivity.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your backlog, you can also use the method of a brain dump.
J.D. Meier introduced the Rule of Three in “Getting Results the Agile Way,”.
So, how do you get things done with the Rule of Three?
J.D. Meier has explained the formula beautifully.
He suggested:
- Pen down three outcomes for today
- Three things for the week
- Three tasks for the month
- Three focused goals for the year
What is Mantra 9-6-3
The Mantra 9-6-3 is a methodology which combines Goal setting using SMART and the rule of three.
For the past 13 years, I have used the Mantra 9-6-3 every year for myself and in the last two years as I coached over 33 clients to define and achieve their focused goals for the respective years.
It’s a 9-month journey where I work with my clients to help them achieve their 3 Major Goals for the year.
In this digital world, you can create a memo on your mobile device or use one of the many productivity apps available in your play store to create the 3 Major goals for the year.
From my experience working with several individuals, I have always insisted on writing them down.
– It makes you remember them better
– Brings commitment
– Engages your brain
– Limits distractions
If you wish to do it yourself: Download your 9-6-3 Mantra
In case you wish to work with me to achieve your focused goals: write to me at
With an AIM to focus and provide personal attention, I work with exclusive clients throughout the year.
Always remember: If you don’t achieve any of your focused goals for some reason, don’t worry and forgive yourself.
Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Maybe it was just a bad day, or you needed to be more realistic.
We all have those days. Mantra 9-6-3 is a long-term process.
Mantra 9-6-3 will help you stay focused and empower you to get in the right direction. It will help you learn to prioritize, focus, and achieve.
Rather than working on an overstuffed list of things, why not just focus on the three topmost, value-adding ones?
Spending time doing multiple things without desired results isn’t a good measure of productivity.
