I want to share a game I play with my clients. It’s an uncomfortable game sometimes. It can also be fun. And it’s easy enough that you can play it on your own.

It’s called “Who are you being?”

How the Game Works

The game is a series of questions about your day. Answer them honestly. Nobody’s grading you.

Your morning

• What time did you wake up?
• Did you have breakfast? What did you have?
• Did you work out?
• Did you talk with your family, or spend any time with them?

Your workday

• What time did you get to work? Were you on time?
• What was the first thing you did when you got there?
• How quickly did you open your email? How quickly did you react to something?
• Did you have any intentions for the day?
• Did you go to lunch? Who did you go with?
• Who did you spend time with in the afternoon?

Your evening

• What time did you get home?
• What did you do on the way there and back? What did you listen to, if anything?
• Did you have dinner with your family? Was it at the table?
• What did you do after dinner? What did you read or watch, and for how long?
• What time did you go to bed, and what did you do right before?

You can see it’s kind of an annoying game. But it’s a curious one, and it creates perspective on how you’re being.

How You’re Being Today Is Evidence of Who You’re Becoming

That’s the point of the game. How you’re being today is evidence of who you’re becoming.

Each answer is a little clue. And when you do those things on a recurring basis, day after day, you will likely become what you are being.

That’s the bad news, if the clues aren’t great. If you’re watching Netflix for hours on end, there’s a good chance you’re becoming somewhat lazy. If you’re eating poorly, drinking too much and not working out, that’s a good clue that you’re becoming unhealthy.

But it works the other way, too. If you’re being productive, intentional and grateful, those are clues that you’re becoming something positive.

Ask Who You Want to Become

Here’s where the game gets powerful. Ask yourself: What do I want to become?

Then imagine how that person is being every day. When do they wake up? How do they start their workday? Who do they eat lunch with? What do their evenings look like?

Because if you can start being who you want to become, who knows? You may just become that person.

Become Who You Want to Be

If you’re a CPA firm partner, owner or leader, executive coaching can help you look honestly at how you’re being, decide who you want to become, and build the daily habits that get you there.

Explore coaching with The CPA Coach →

Related Perspectives

Continue exploring with CPA Firm Partners: What Are You Giving Up to Perform Better?, CPA Firm Leaders: Are You Someone Your Team Wants to Become?, and Coachability: The Skill That Separates Future CPA Firm Leaders.

Explore all Perspectives