I have a ritual that I follow daily. I’m an early riser. I’ll walk downstairs to the bathroom in the main level to avoid waking anyone up. The first thing I do is look in the mirror.

It’s become a daily ritual because I’ve come to the realization that I can actually see in my face whether or not I’ve been on a healthy path. If it’s a Saturday morning and I overindulged with alcohol the night before I can see that. If I haven’t been getting enough sleep I can see that too. After a few days of less than optimal eating or stressful times at work or at home I can see the stress looking back at me. The same goes with missed workouts.

A few months ago I looked in the mirror and didn’t like what I saw. I saw a face that looked bloated and unhealthy. My skin didn’t look good, my eyes didn’t look good. I wasn’t taking care of myself and you could see it. When I gain weight, I gain it in the face.

I didn’t like the person that was staring back at me.

This isn’t a narcissistic thing. I realize that there is more to the value of the person than the reflection in the mirror. I’ve taken less than five selfies in my life.

What I saw was the culmination of poor decisions based on a lack of willpower. Like many people in their forties I don’t feel like someone in my mid-forties, but I’m reaching the age where the cost of poor decisions is visible in my reflection. I’m beginning to look like someone in his mid-forties.

I realize we are told that outward appearances don’t matter and it’s what’s inside that matters, but there is value to really assessing yourself in the mirror daily. It’s not a narcissistic thing. Really looking at yourself in the mirror is a view into your soul.

It’s what David Goggins calls the “accountability mirror.” If you’re not familiar with the incredible story of Goggins, I strongly suggest you check out his story and his new book. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. At twenty-four Goggins was an overweight and out-of-shape exterminator who quit his job and trained to be a Navy Seal, eventually becoming an ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete and a former world record holder for the most pull-ups done in 24 hours. He is an absolute beast and one of the most fittest men on the planet. He looked in the mirror and didn’t like the 290 pound guy staring back so he changed it.

Goggins believes that accountability starts with the person you in in the mirror and that you can get to the source of your being by looking at yourself in the mirror. According to Goggins:

“it’s only when we can be honest with ourselves and how we’re actually showing up in the world that we can enable ourselves to do great things in our lives. If we’re not living a life that’s true to our values, then we have to own up to that.”

If you don’t like what you see, change it, much like Michelangelo saw a vision of David in the famous statue he carved from an unwanted block of granite. The famous sculptor stated that he “saw an angel in the marvel and carved until he set him free.” Michelangelo saw what eventually became the statue of David in the marble, he just had to remove the things that were in the way. It’s all about imaging yourself at your ultimate best.

Do you admire what you see in the mirror? What is that version of you? Go out and create it.

Find Me on Twitter