Rule of Three
Choose three priorities at each time horizon and review them visibly
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 99%
Select the three most important goals rather than trying to finish an endless to-do list. Justin applies the same limit at multiple levels: individuals post three daily goals, teams hold three weekly goals, and the company maintains monthly and quarterly goals. Daily posting forces each person to decide what matters and keeps a remote team connected; it does not require heavy follow-up. Weekly goals receive an end-of-week review in which each person reports what happened, explains how a missed goal will be addressed, and sets the next week's priorities. The small number creates focus while the visible cadence provides feedback and accountability.
Origin
Justin says he first learned the Rule of Three from Chris Bailey's The Productivity Project and then applied it throughout his company and personal life.
Core principles
- 01A to-do list is effectively infinite
- 02Three priorities force a meaningful choice
- 03Visible priorities create connection and accountability
- 04The same focus structure can scale across time horizons
- 05Missed goals should produce learning and adjustment
How to run it
- 1
Choose three daily outcomes
Before falling into email or reactive work, decide the three most important things to accomplish that day.
Pro tip Phrase them as outcomes rather than broad activity categories.
Watch out Do not turn the three priorities into headings for hidden task lists.
- 2
Post them visibly
Share the three goals in a common team channel to create connection and light accountability.
- 3
Scale the structure
Use three goals for weekly, monthly, and quarterly horizons so daily work can connect to larger priorities.
Watch out Do not let every team create an unrelated set with no connection to company goals.
- 4
Review the week
At the end of the week, report how the prior goals went and what will change when one was missed.
Pro tip Set the following week's goals during the same review.
Watch out Use a miss for learning, not punishment.
In the wild
Stone Blade employees post three daily goals in a company Discord channel. Separate channels hold weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. At the end of each week, team members report results and set the next week's priorities.
→ The team can see current focus, remain connected, and review missed goals without heavy daily supervision.
Common mistakes
Starting with the inbox
Reactive work feels productive but may have no relationship to the most important outcomes.
Trying to finish everything
An infinite task list prevents the prioritization the rule is designed to force.
Is it for you?
Best for
Individuals and remote teams that need simple, visible prioritization across daily through quarterly work.
Not ideal for
Emergency response periods where priorities must change continuously during the day.
From the transcript
“So what it is, is you have everybody posts their three daily goals, what are the top three things that I want to focus on?”
“Three is really important because we all have an infinite laundry list of stuff to do, we're never going to finish our to-do list, but…”
“If I didn't meet a goal, what am I doing to fix it?”
From the episode
#687: Justin Gary — Taking the Path Less Traveled, The Phenomenon of “Magic: The Gathering,” How Analytical People Can Become “Creative” People, Finding the Third Right Answer, and How to Escape Your Need for Control
Justin Gary