The Power of Three

How Morning Intention Shapes Leadership

First Light, First Frequency

The way you begin your day holds quiet power. Before the emails, before the meetings, before the world begins to pull at your attention, there is a brief, sacred window. A moment where you haven’t yet stepped into your roles, your responsibilities, or your routines. In that space, you are simply potential.

And in that moment, you get to choose your frequency.

Leadership doesn’t begin at the office. It begins the moment you open your eyes. The tone you strike in those early minutes is like the opening chord of a song, it reverberates through every conversation, every decision, every moment that follows.

This is what the “3” in the 3-6-9 practice invites: a conscious beginning. A moment to align before you act. A shift from default to deliberate.

You don’t have to wake up perfect. You just have to wake up present.

Section 1: Why Morning Intention Matters

Science and ancient wisdom agree: mornings shape mindset. From a physiological perspective, the first 20–30 minutes after waking are when your brain is most impressionable. Cortisol levels are naturally higher, and your nervous system is more susceptible to cues—internal or external (Thayer et al., 2012).

What you focus on in this window has a disproportionate impact on how you perceive, process, and respond throughout the day.

If you begin in a frenzy, scrolling news, checking Slack, reacting to urgency, you’re likely to carry that scattered frequency into every interaction. But if you begin with a clear intention, you prime your mind to look for coherence, to stay grounded amid chaos, to lead from a deeper place.

This isn’t about self-optimization. It’s about leadership hygiene.

The question is not: What do I need to do today?
The question becomes: Who do I choose to be as I do it?

Section 2: The Practice – Choosing Three Frequencies

At the heart of the 3-6-9 cycle is the morning ritual of choosing three words. These words are not goals. They’re not affirmations. They are states of being you wish to embody.

Think of them as tuning forks, each one helping you set the vibration of your presence.

For example:

• “Clarity. Compassion. Courage.”
• “Stillness. Strength. Service.”
• “Creativity. Calm. Conviction.”

You might choose words that reflect your leadership values. Or qualities that you sense are needed for that day’s challenges. You might even repeat the same triad for a week to deepen your connection with it.

Once chosen, speak them aloud. Breathe them in. Let them shape your posture. Write them down somewhere visible, a journal, a sticky note, the top of your to-do list. These three words become your internal compass.

You return to them during the “6” and “9” parts of the rhythm. But it begins here, with intention before interaction.

Section 3: Tips for Making It Stick

Like any practice, morning intention works best when it’s simple and repeatable. Here are a few ways to make it part of your flow:

• Create a consistent container. Choose a spot, a chair by the window, a spot on the porch, the kitchen table. Let that space become your morning tuning station.
• Use a journal or voice memo. Speaking or writing your triad gives it form, making it easier to remember and return to.
• Anchor it to an existing habit. Pair it with something you already do: brushing your teeth, making tea, lighting a candle. This creates ritual without adding friction.
• Let it evolve. Some days you may feel clear and confident. Other mornings, your words might be “Gentleness. Patience. Trust.” There is no wrong tone, only honest tuning.

And if you miss a day? Begin again. Rhythm is not about perfection. It’s about return.

Section 4: From Words to Embodied Frequency

Words are only the beginning.

As you continue this practice, your chosen triads begin to live in your body. They shift how you speak, how you listen, how you make decisions. You move from thinking about leadership to transmitting it.

Let’s say you choose “Clarity. Grace. Resolve.” That morning, you feel them in your breath. At midday, you recall them before a tough conversation. You notice you pause before reacting. You ask a cleaner question. You bring grace into a tense moment.

This is how intention becomes embodied frequency.

Research in emotional intelligence supports this. Leaders who cultivate self-awareness and intentionality are more likely to foster trust, collaboration, and resilience in teams (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2013). When you signal coherence, others feel it, even if they can’t name it.

Your morning words are not just for you. They shape the field around you.

Section 5: Closing – Begin Before the World Enters

In a world that often demands reaction, beginning with intention is an act of leadership.

Before the meetings.
Before the noise.
Before the world asks anything of you,
You ask something of yourself.

You ask: Who am I choosing to be today?

And then you listen.
And you name it.
And you begin.

The “3” is the first step of the 3-6-9 rhythm. In the next article, we’ll explore the “6”, the midday return point. The moment you pause, check the signal, and realign if needed.

But for now, the invitation is simple:
Tomorrow morning, before reaching for your phone, reach for yourself.
Three words. One breath. Begin.

Let’s Keep Talking!

Peter Comrie
Co-Founder and Human Capital Specialist at Full Spectrum Leadership Inc.
Reach out to me at peter@fullspectrumleadership.com

Or connect with me here to book a call!

Reach me on Linkedin; https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercomrie/

Tags: frequency-based leadership, conscious leadership, 3-6-9 method, intentional leadership, practices inner alignment, leadership presence,