Archimedes, the father of modern scientific thought, is reputed to have said, "Give me a long enough lever and I'll move the earth!" Leverage is a key concept in today's society. Those who have it succeed; those who cannot use it are restrained and often frustrated.

Just how can we leverage or exploit the important events that affect us? The answer is clear - through focus!

My sainted Scottish aunt understood the concept very well when she described yesterday as a 'cancelled cheque', tomorrow as a 'promissory note', and today as 'cash'. The only time we can do anything about our life is now! There are those who spend much of their time trying to change the past - to no avail. There are those who worry about a future that may or may not happen. Truly effective people focus on 'now', and they influence the vital events that will determine the quality of life - present and future.

In Archimedes' case, the premise is true but where would he stand and what would he use as a point of leverage? In our case, the technique is very much easier. We stand upon 'today' and we use 'events' as our point of leverage.

The process is to routinely ask yourself three questions, to refine and then to act on the responses. 'Routinely' means making a habit of the exercise. To invest effort sporadically will not generate high quality results.

Since the process takes just twenty minutes at most, it's well worth setting aside a short period at the end of every week. The outcome will help to relieve the pressures of the past week, offer a fresh perspective and hope for next week and thereby allow us to take some time-out to enjoy the weekend since we now have a plan for success.

So, what are the three essential and liberating questions that offer so much?

I call them "The Rule of Three". Here they are:

· What three things went well this week, and what can I learn from this?

· What three things didn't go well this week, and what can I learn from this?

· What three things will I do differently in the coming week as a result?

The process focuses on events initially but then moves on to the essential 'rules for success' that underpin all event responses. In addition, there's a built-in priority management system. It works well for the individual, but will also serve a team or work group. There's a possible fourth question that might apply in this case, namely: · What are the three priorities for the team/ group effort this coming week?

This last question does not bind the members of the team / group in these individual actions, but rather provides a context for decision making that preserves the larger interests of the organization.

Experience has shown that this simple process introduces clarity, a bias for productive action, and ultimately, peace of mind. It is a tenet of a constructive 'learning attitude' which is one of the defined characteristics of all successful people. When used within a group it reconciles differences, emphasizes common ground and supports synergy. As a simple yet highly practical focusing device it keeps the individual and the group 'on track' and moving forward. This can't be bad, can it?