Identity
What drives your mission and purpose?
Our life stories shape the person who we have become. Every one of us are constantly sharing them. Have you stopped to really listen to the stories you tell yourself and others?
I have to admit it is not straight forward, however it is in our stories where we find our gold. They form our identity and often they are the driver of our mission and purpose. All humans will do anything and everything to be congruent with that identity we have for ourselves.
Your identity guides your leadership personally and professionally. It is present at all times when you are being a parent, friend, spouse, supervisor, sibling… etc. Often the genesis of this identity is the result of struggle and pain we have encountered in life or that has been passed by our family. For example, throughout my life I have ensured I am independent. That was my upbringing. A great trait to have as I am able to care for myself and others around me. It has made me reliable and resourceful. I get things done. As my friends joke, in the case of a hurricane I am going to camp in Maritza’s home. She for sure has everything in her home… I am proud and it makes me happy to be able to quickly resolve things and help when needed.
It was when I went back to understand the root of this deep value in my family when I understood the power and challenges that independence carries in my life. It is truly a need for self-reliance that comes out of a big loss in my great grandfather’s time, where my great grandmother had to struggle with her 12 kids out of one of his bad decisions. A great propeller to care for self and others, rooted in a lack to fully trust others to be able to provide. It is with this realization that I have worked on myself to learn to trust people, the systems and organizations that I belong to. Then this value (independence) and all others can become a more balanced force in my life.
Is your identity today one that has been shaped to defend and protect you from pain or it celebrates your blessings and reflects what you want to see in your life? Are your mission and purpose tied to the identity you have for yourself today?
You may be thinking so what… that is life. With awareness we all have the ability to choose and shape our identity. What if we can root it in the blessings and the more empowering side of our life? How much more powerful can it be?