One of the biggest lessons from my own professional journey is that our 'day job' doesn't define us and recognising and reminding ourselves of this is essential to maintaining a healthy perspective.
I know, this sounds obvious, we all know work isn't life, right?
But some days, when you're immersed in a career that all but consumes you, that perspective can be difficult to keep sight of.
There is no substitute for doing the real work of self discovery which opens your eyes to the amazing truth of who you really are. But as a fast start it can be helpful to look at the different facets of ourselves and how they all contribute to how we show up in the world.
If you feel your job description may be in danger of taking over your 'sense of self', here are some suggestions for definitions of the different aspects of your true self. Take some reflection time to think about what this means for you:
Who you are is the sum of:
What you journey towards - your purpose
What guides you - your values and beliefs
What you do - your 'day job'
How you do it - your skills and knowledge
Who you journey with - your community
Our job description is what we do, not who we are. There’s a big difference.
Focusing too much on just one aspect of ourselves leaves so much else out of the equation and stops us stepping into our full potential.
In our career obsessed world, with such an emphasis on 'what we do', it may be obvious to see how a much better understanding of who you are can have a profoundly positive effect on your personal life.
But it can also fast track your career.
By developing a keen sense of self awareness and knowledge you're able to; tap effectively into your strengths, fill in your gaps and blind spots with people who have complementary strengths, spot your own limiting beliefs and catch and moderate your behaviour.
These are all great behaviours to cultivate as an effective leader.
If you'd like to dig deeper get in touch, I work with clients all over the world to help them better understand the whole, rich tapestry of who they are, so they can live more successful, fulfilling lives - both personally and professionally.