You Show Me Yours, and I Will Show You Mine

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Hello, my friends.

I am excited about this article because it is reminiscent of about ten conversations I have had in the last week.

The title of this week’s blog is “You Show Me Yours, and I Will Show You Mine.”

I am talking about your goals and objectives – and the tools you use to be most effective.

These are not abstract concepts, though many view them as such. At the beginning of the year, they make New Year’s resolutions. They have a passive thought about becoming better, getting in shape, quitting smoking…but then, within a very short amount of time (sometimes hours, sometimes days), they are back to their old habits.

Why does this happen?

It is because they’re not using the tools necessary to sustain their aspirations.

The WHAT

I just offered a complimentary coaching session to a number of people who have taken my online programs.

One of the standard questions I ask people at the beginning of the coaching relationship is, “Tell me a bit about yourself. What are your goals?”

It is amazing how many people are stumped by that question.

As we talk about goals, they ask about ways to stay on track. These are basic questions, and many of you probably have the same.

Inevitably, those I talk with will ask, “What are your goals?”

I don’t have to think how I will answer. I have already thought about them. In the video, I am holding my ten goals for this year. I have been writing down my goals for as long as I can remember. I’ve actually laminated them just to keep myself from editing them during the year. I want to know this is what I had set out, at the beginning of the year, as my definition of success.

This is the “what” I want to accomplish this year.

The WHY

These are my Daily Affirmations.

I have shared these with audiences over the years, and I have tweaked them from time to time. I have fourteen daily affirmations that I read out loud to myself each and every day.

If you are not familiar with daily affirmations, you owe it to yourself to become familiar with this concept and then make it more than a concept. Make it one of your success habits.

I will show these to you when you show me your goals. You have to go first because if you are just using my goals as your goals, it really doesn’t make any sense.

The HOW

You have heard me talk about it many times: My Daily Edge. In the video, I show one from a few years ago of a particularly busy day, a good day.

Here is a quick view of the “My Daily Edge” tool.

(You may download a free copy here.)

The first section is “Big Rocks.” This is from the concept introduced to me by Steven Covey, where you add the Big Rocks – the most important priorities – first.

Then there are smaller rocks.

Below that, I list people I need to contact each day.

At the bottom, there are the various buckets of life: spirituality, fitness, finance, family, love interest (in my case, that is my wife, Linda), personal development, business, and fun and relaxation. These are important because it ensures you don’t focus so much on one area that you neglect all others, which is what often happens by default when you are not intentional.

Also included is a calendar.

At the end of the day, there is a “Rate my Box” section. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate each day.

The goal is to get those things done that you set out to do – at the beginning of the day. This is especially true of the Big Rocks. If you don’t get them done early, other things will fill your day, and you will find yourself at the end of a busy day, having nothing to show for it.

You begin the day with intentionality, and you end the day with accountability.

At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Did I do what I set out to do today?”

If you did not, this is not about beating yourself up; it is about being honest with yourself. It is about being authentic and transparent with yourself, and then setting goals for tomorrow to be better than you were today.

This is my toolkit.

The WHAT I want to accomplish (10 Goals)
The WHY (Daily Affirmations)
The HOW (My Daily Edge)

You show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.

If you want to see these actual examples for how I run my day, my week, and every single year, you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.

This is a serious proposition.

You send me your what, why, and how, and I will send you mine. Just send me an email at Ed@EdDeCosta.com and use the subject line, “HERE’S MINE!”

Show me your goals for the year.
Show me your daily affirmations if you have them, or do some research on daily affirmations and come up with a few. I have 14, but you don’t have to have that many.
Then download My Daily Edge. It is free right here. Many people have found it helpful and have shared that it has helped them become a better version of themselves. I have been using this tool myself for many years.

Setting your goals creates focus. Saying daily affirmations creates motivation. Using My Daily Edge creates results.

You show me yours, and I will show you mine!

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Ed DeCosta is one of the most engaging executive coaches and thought leaders of our time. He delivers results with companies of all sizes, from high tech start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations. Ed is an ICF certified professional coach. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University, a master’s degree in international management from the University of Texas, and an MBA from the University of Texas. Ed is also an adjunct faculty member in West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics, teaching Professional Selling and entrepreneurship courses.