Recently, David Sparks (Aka MacSparky) published a blog post and video describing his morning routine journal template. In it, he lists the questions he uses to prompt his journaling every morning.
I’d seen the question, “How will my actions today show my character?” before in some of his materials. At that time I’d chosen not to include it in my own journaling template.
I’d initially thought, “That sounds more like a moral philosophy question for deep thoughts in the evening.” It was not something I thought I’d find useful in prompting my journaling in the morning. Some mornings (before the coffee kicks in) I don’t have enough brain cells functioning for moral philosophical musings. It came across to me as too esoteric and nebulous to be useful in a morning routine.
What this Question is Really About
After seeing MacSparky’s explanation in his recent blog post, I think I finally get why he includes this question in his journal template. It is about moral philosophy, but not in an abstract sense. It’s about the day-to-day practical influence my moral values have in my life and the lives of others.
This question reminds me each morning that my character and values matter, and that my character will be revealed in the way I act. While I can claim to hold certain values, the real test is how I act.
“Yes, beliefs are important for they shape who we are, but our identity is revealed not through our beliefs or our talk, but through our actions.” – Thomas Ingram
I needed this question in my morning journal template to remind me every day to give conscious thought to how I would act in all the contexts of the upcoming day. How will my actions today show my character today when I greet my wife in the morning when she gets up, when I interact with the barista at the coffee shop, and when I write a blog post?
By visualizing where I will be and what I will be doing, I give myself a better opportunity to act in accordance with my character. This includes my aspirational character as well, for values I want to start acting out in my life.
Including this question in my morning journal gives me another motivation and opportunity to be intentional in my life. Not intentional about the projects I choose to work on and prioritize, but intentional about how I will behave.
Adding This Question Makes a Difference in My Life (and the Lives of Others)
Once I started thinking about this question from a practical perspective, I saw its potential value for me and added it to my journal template. I’ve been using it for about a week now.
I’d like to think that I’m the kind of person that would act consistently with my values, and adding this question wouldn’t make much difference. But it does.
Every morning, as I think about my day, I’m prompted to visualize what I’ll be doing during my day. How will I apply the question, “How will my actions today show my character?” to each situation I envision?
Character is ethics in action. – Michael Josephson
How will I greet my wife when she wakes up? Will I convey I’m glad to see her with a smile and a hug or act as though she’s an interruption? How will I interact with the barista at the coffee shop we’ll be visiting? Will I just state what I want, or will I ask with a “please” and receive my drink with a “thank you?” Will I attempt to interact with the barista at a personal level, or will it be a purely business transaction?
When I’m writing a blog post at the coffee shop, what tone and attitude will I adopt in my writing? Will I sound like an arrogant know-it-all or be argumentative, or will I take a gentle, helpful, and encouraging approach? How will I interact with the cashier at the fast-food restaurant we go to for lunch? Will I treat him or her as a person providing me a service, or as an impersonal vending machine? Will I convey to the cashier that I appreciate what they are doing for me?
In the afternoon when I’m writing texts and emails, will I exhibit a caring and helpful attitude, or just be functional and abrupt? Tonight at a class we’re attending, will I try to meet new people and greet friends, or will I just sit and avoid interaction, as my introverted personality inclines me to do?
Try Asking Yourself This Question Each Morning and See if it Works for You
I’d previously borrowed two of MacSparky’s questions for my morning journal template: “What’s on my mind?” and “What is my priority?” But it’s not until recently that I started using his question, “How will my actions today show my character?”
Adding this question has made a big impact on how I interact with others. Having the opportunity to visualize my day, and think about how I want to act in each situation, has helped me to better plan my day. Now I plan not only my intentions for work that day, but I also plan my intentions for how I will interact that day in person, in emails, and in my writing.
I encourage you to add this question to your morning journal template or checklist as well. It may or may not benefit you as it has me, but it’s worth a try to see if it makes a positive difference for you. Thanks, MacSparky!