Who are you? You are not what you do for a living. Who you are should determine what you do. But you are changing all the time so what should you do? The case for keeping your identity small.

A lion is born a lion, lives as a lion, and dies as a lion. Similarly, early humans were just another species, no different from the majestic lion that roamed the jungle.

As we evolved and became civilized, we adopted various identities throughout our lives—son, daughter, brother, sister, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, and beyond. Our identity changes as our family's needs change over time.

Professionally, we identify ourselves as doctors, engineers, bankers, carpenters, and so on depending on what we do at that time.

Identity has become complex in present times.

Until our great-grandparent's generations, they lived their entire lives in the same place as their ancestors and they worked in the same profession as their ancestors for more than 1000+ years.

The current generation of humans has migrated in masse in the past 75 years, with more than 300+ million people living in a country that is not a place of birth.

It is unimaginably more complex for the next generation, many 5-7-year-olds living in remote rural hinterlands in India speak with perfect American or British accents and sensibilities as they learned from YouTube channels or Peppa Pig during COVID.

As Pico Iyer eloquently puts it, “And for more and more of us, the home has less to do with a piece of soil than you could say with a piece of soul”.

The majority of us are working in a profession very different from our parents. Some of us have changed professions mid-way.

The next generation will need to change their profession multiple times out of necessity to be gainfully employed.

The Industrial Revolution mimicked royalty by giving corporate titles to salaried employees. Unlike Royals, the corporate title is neither a birthright nor is it forever.

Most retirees report depression soon after retirement as there is a void and identity disappears overnight.

what is the solution?

It is better to keep our identity small for mental and professional growth because

1. We struggle to think objectively about things that become part of our identity.

2. The more labels we give ourselves, the more emotionally we respond.

3.  The best plan is to let as few things into your identity as possible.

Be nimble.

Note:
1. It is a complex topic, I am learning and changing my opinions all the time.

2. Paul Graham, Pico Iyer, and Mukul Kesavan inspired me to think along these lines.

What do you think?

“Live, Laugh, and Learn every day”

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