“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”

James Clear captures an idea I find genuinely encouraging. Read the original quote.

I like it because it gives me a question I can actually do something with.

Who am I practicing being today?

Reliable. Curious. Present. These are all qualities I want to bring to my life. Thinking about them as something I can practice makes them feel much more approachable. There are opportunities in the conversations, commitments, and choices already waiting for me today.

Being someone people can count on

If I want to be someone people can count on, I can start with the follow-ups I’ve promised. Send the information. Make the introduction. Close the loop.

I can also think one little step ahead. Is there something I already know that person will need? Could I include a useful link, answer the likely next question, or take care of a small detail before they have to ask?

That extra bit of thought is a way to make someone else’s day easier. It makes reliability something I can actively practice.

Staying curious

I really like this one. Is there a question I could ask instead of pretending I already know?

It can be tempting to jump in with an answer, especially when a conversation touches on something familiar. There’s room to pause and ask, “How did you arrive at that?” or “What am I missing?”

Asking gives the other person room to share what they know. It also gives me a chance to learn something I might otherwise have talked straight past.

Giving someone my full attention

If I want to be more present, I can decide before a conversation begins that my phone is going away. People can leave a message. I can read it later.

For the time I’m with you, you get my attention. I want to look you in the eye, listen properly, and stay with what you’re saying.

Putting the phone in my bag gives that intention a practical starting point. I’ve made a choice about where my attention belongs for the time we’re together.

Helping teams practice their values

I spend a lot of time thinking about behavior change in businesses. I’d bring this question to a team, too. What would it look like to practice the values we say matter?

If we value curiosity, we could invite another perspective before making a decision. If we value reliability, we could agree on who will follow up and when.

These give a manager something specific to recognize. “You sent that update before anyone had to chase it” tells someone exactly which action helped the team.

Choosing one action today

Pick a quality you want to practice and think about the next opportunity to put it into action. Make the choice specific enough that you’ll know when you’ve done it.

Then, at the end of the day, take a moment to notice it.

Who do you want to practice being today, and what would one small vote for that person look like?

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