Unveiling the Power of Identity

Posted on May 07, 2024 by David Luscher, One of Thousands of Performance Coaches on Noomii.

I was born and raised in a small town whose entire economy was based around manufacturing. In such a community of limited opportunity, a baby boomer would graduate from high school, get a job at the local plant, work for over 30 years, and retire with a pension. While that life wasn’t available to my generation, the prevailing wisdom was still passed down and ingrained into us. In education circles, this is known as “Saber Tooth Teaching.”

To paraphrase the story, a tribe of people continued to teach their young how to hunt Saber Tooth Tigers long after their extinction. When asked by an outsider why they do this, they answered because it’s what they’ve always done. Therefore, “Saber Tooth Teaching” came to represent an individual’s reluctance to adapt and their hesitance to welcome new ideas, even when they are essential for survival and align with the demands of the times.

Why do people fail to adapt? Even when it’s obvious that so much is changing, why would someone refuse to act in a manner that would benefit them? Why do they hold on to old beliefs and processes that no longer produce results? I believe it can be summed up in one word: Identity!

Identity is the belief in who we are and what we’re capable of. It’s how we see ourselves. All that we do in life is based on our identity.

At its core, the premise is straightforward: we live what we believe we are. Our beliefs about ourselves, our capabilities, and our limitations create our reality. They dictate not only what we think we can achieve but also what we deem impossible. Our beliefs draw the boundaries within which we operate, defining the extent of our potential.

Here’s the rub. We can’t act contrary to our identity. This is why people fail to adapt to new challenges. When the demands of our times change, we must be willing to question our long-held beliefs about who we are and what we’re capable of.

We all have a responsibility to ourselves and those we love to expand our identity. By daring to challenge the limits we’ve imposed on our potential, we can tap into a future brimming with possibilities. But we must take control of this process!

How do we do this? First, we must get clear on what we already believe about ourselves. This can be painful work, but it’s essential to understanding what has been working for us and against us. Start by taking out a piece of paper and drawing a line down the middle of it. On one side, write down all of the great things you believe about yourself. What you know you’re capable of. What you know you can do with ease and confidence. In the other column, write down all the limiting beliefs you have about yourself. Even if it’s hard to admit, write it down and become aware of how you see yourself.

Second, question all limiting beliefs! Is it who you really are? You may have written something down and realized that it’s absurd. Ask yourself the following:

- Do I really believe this to be true about myself?

- Why do I believe this about myself?

- What happened in my past that caused me to accept this belief?

- Did I interpret my past experiences correctly?

- Am I capable of more than this?

Third, replace your limiting beliefs with new empowering beliefs. For example, change “I’m fat” to “I have 10 extra pounds on my body.” Or, “I’m stupid” to “I can learn anything with the right teacher.” The beliefs that hold us back are based on our perceptions of our experiences. We choose what they mean to us!

I had a “guidance” teacher in high school who told me that college wasn’t for me and that the best I could hope for in life was to get a job at a fast-food restaurant and work my way up to manager. If I had accepted that limiting belief that she tried to put on me, I never would have gone on to achieve two college degrees and several certifications. Question any limiting belief!

Lastly, look for new empowering ideas. I wrote a previous article on how to do this and you can find it here. The Simple Secret to Living Your Dreams

Our beliefs about ourselves control our behavior. Change your beliefs, change your life.