Whether you’re a passionate professional or a business owner, what you do for a living is a big part of your identity. It’s part of what defines who you are.
I’m not saying your career is the most important thing in your life, but I don’t tend to attract people who think a job is something that doesn’t matter. If you’re reading this email, you’re not likely to be someone who clocks in, slogs through the day, and clocks out — just to pay the bills, year after year. (There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s just not how some of us are wired!)
Your work is meaningful in some way and tied to how you see yourself and your place in the world.
Therefore, when the place you find yourself changes, the identity change that comes along with it can be challenging.
Maybe you’re on a career pause to raise your kids, you’ve decided to step out of an executive role into entrepreneurship, you’ve been laid off, or you’re winding down for retirement or semi-retirement.
Who you are in these moments can be tricky. It can feel uncertain and even a little scary.
The ground feels shaky as you lose and gain, negotiating shifting realities.
You might be gaining freedom, time, or the opportunity to pursue new things, while simultaneously losing who you are, who you were, or who you considered yourself to be. Talk about confusion!
As a career and business coach, I help clients navigate this process all the time.
Here’s the thing:
You have to reconcile the loss and create a new identity.
Think of it like an egg.
The shell is your job, along with the salary, perks, respect, admiration, etc. that make up this aspect of your identity.
But it’s what’s inside that counts — the golden center! YOU are the yolk.
Once you break out of the shell, you can take on many new forms. It’s the substance that matters: wisdom, experience, hard knowledge, soft skills.
Focus on what you bring with you when the shell cracks away. What new identity will you create?
Let us know if we can help.
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