The Power of Identity

WHO AM I?

This a question that I would bet every person who has every existed has asked themselves. I believe that it's an instinctual part of us as humans to establish an identity for ourselves.  People have many different ways of identifying themselves.  It could be based on profession, income level, family role, personality traits, past mistakes etc., but regardless of what the factors are we all have an identity.  We often fail to realize the power that our identities can have and the how much control they exude over how we live our lives.  For example, think about why people who want to lose weight, beat an addiction or change any other type of behavior have periods of success and relapse.  It's because a change in behavior without a change in identity can only produce limited results.  If a person who still identifies themselves as an alcoholic, but is attempting to break the addiction may most likely have a relapse at some point. Why is that?  Because alcoholics drink excessively and as long as that person identifies themselves as an alcoholic, they will behave as an alcoholic. I believe the foundation of personal growth and change can be found in how a person identifies their role in this world.

I have experienced this type of success and setback myself. I made a conscious effort to choose a graduate program that would challenge me in ways that would develop my character. I needed to be challenged in more ways than just in classroom. The reason why is because I identified myself as a fearful person and I wanted to break the hold that fear has had over my life.  So I confronted my fear of the world and my voice. I made some great strides, but that wasn't enough. I still saw myself as a person filled with fear and of course despite my triumphs I still did things that a fearful person would do. In some situations I still shrank back, lowered my voice, chose not to show up and refused to raise my hand and be acknowledged. What I really needed was not just to do things to break out of my comfort zone, but I needed to see myself differently.  By seeing myself differently I would require more of myself.  A person's identity can empower or hinder. Now I am paying close attention to what I attribute to my identity and what behaviors or traits I simply identify as points of improvement.

Expanding my identity

One of the main things I am correcting is how I address my speech

impediment.  I will never again say that I am a stutterer, but that I simply have a stutter. That may not 
seem like a big difference to some, but from my perspective it can make tremendous impact.  Having a stutter just describes an innate impairment of a motor function, but I am a stutter makes it a part of my identity. My stutter has no direct influence on who I am, while my experiences as a stutterer have helped to shape my identity. The other facet of this that I'm focusing on is deciding how much of my identity is dependent on my present circumstances. In order to expand my identity and forcefully push myself to

reach my potential, I have to focus heavily on the vision for my future while still working to develop myself in the present. I don't have to wait until I achieve a certain level of success to identify myself as successful. If success becomes a fundamental piece of my identity now, then everything I do will be an effort to bridge the gap between my present and the vision for my future.  The same way that my identity as a fearful person has caused me to do certain things to bring that identity to fruition, creating a more positive identity will result in me making some substantial progress in my personal life and career. I now believe that it can be as simple as thinking and speaking positively can manifest positive results, while internalizing negativity will do the opposite. Now I'm tearing down the identity that I have unintentionally created and working to build a new identity that will empower me to achieve my goals as well as develop my character. Until that identity is completely defined, I will just say that I am...

A person who conquers fear.