When you search for the The 3Fs rule online, you might be surprised to find it explained in various ways using different terms that all start with the letter F. In this article, we explore these different versions to clarify them for entrepreneurs and business leaders.
The First Version: Financial Security, Freedom, Fulfilment
In this interpretation, the three Fs stand for:
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Financial Security
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Freedom
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Fulfilment
According to Strategic Mentors, a business consultancy site, these terms mean:
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Financial Security:Not reaching financial security leaves the entrepreneur in a state of uncertainty and self-doubt, fostering an obsession with chasing money. This often leads to exhausting busyness. However, achieving financial security doesn’t necessarily require grueling effort, but rather finding the right approach.
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Freedom:This F represents having options to live and work on your own terms. However, if you must work excessively to earn more money for financial security, you cannot fully achieve freedom. Therefore, it’s important to seek ways that help you achieve this goal.
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Fulfilment:Moving from focusing on the self to serving others — this becomes more possible once time and money are available. The first two goals, financial security and freedom, are important but not enough alone. Contributing to larger causes achieves better results for businesses.
New Opportunities
Strategic Mentors emphasizes that the world is full of opportunities. Anyone brave enough to start a business can achieve financial security, possibly with some guidance. Some will also achieve freedom, free from traditional work constraints. Once those are met, they gain the resources and skill to make an impact. At this stage, the door opens to the third freedom: fulfilment.
A sellable business exemplifies this third F because it:
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Provides financial security (attracting buyers).
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Doesn’t rely on the owner’s time (making it more valuable).
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Has a purpose beyond just making money for the founder.
The Same Terms Apply to Employment
These three Fs are not exclusive to entrepreneurship but are also used when choosing the right job. According to an article from Spencer Stuart, a leading firm in executive assessment and development, these terms form the triple-success formula for job selection—provided you set your priorities accordingly.
He explains the three points as follows:
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Money: The potential for compensation considering the risks.
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Freedom: The ability to make decisions about your work and balance it with other life aspects (like controlling your schedule and planning outside interests).
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Fulfilment: Often understood as enjoyment + purpose. This can mean enjoying the work, feeling challenged, contributing to a higher cause, managing a project or business, or collaborating with colleagues. Essentially, it is about obtaining deep satisfaction from your work.
The Second Version: Focus, Flexibility, Follow-up
The Martini Way, a business development company, explains another 3Fs version in their article "The 3 F’s of a Successful Business":
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Focus: Define your goal and devote full effort to achieving it within a set timeframe.
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Flexibility: Adapt to unexpected challenges and opportunities that inevitably arise.
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Follow-up: Maintain ongoing communication, assist potential clients, and demonstrate your expertise. This can be done via newsletters, postcards, free training sessions, Q&A meetings, etc. Balancing effective follow-up without being intrusive is often the hardest part.
In Marketing: Feel, Felt, Found
There’s another 3Fs rule used in sales and marketing, known as Feel, Felt, Found. According to Business Insider, it’s a powerful technique for handling objections by connecting with clients’ concerns and providing solutions based on similar past experiences:
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Feel: Empathize by acknowledging the client’s feelings and worries.
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Felt: Share similar feelings or experiences others have had.
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Found: Explain the solutions discovered and positive outcomes achieved, building credibility and trust.
The Path to Success
Are there other interpretations? Yes! It might seem surprising how this rule’s name has attracted many experts to use it differently. For example, author Pierre Dean uses Frequent, Faith, and Focus in his book The 3F Theory: Unlocking Success in All Aspects of Life, discussing how aligning actions with aspirations leads to achievements.
Searching further reveals many other uses, but all revolve around the single theme: the path to success. So, whichever interpretation of the 3Fs you choose, keep in mind you are seeking success elements. This will help you decide which terms to work with, or perhaps inspire you to create your own unique 3Fs formula.
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