Identity

Identity is not about what you believe, it’s about what you value

  • This leaves you open to changing your views. If you value things like: truth, honesty, integrity etc, then that value system will inform your beliefs. If we start at beliefs, then we are essentially outsourcing what we find valuable.

Minimizing your identity

Your identity creates a kind of "pride" that encourages you to deny your weak spots and prevents you from truly growing.

The more sacred an idea is to us - that is, the more deeply it is tied to our identity - the more strongly we will defend it against criticism.

  • ex. The veteran who is committed to doing things “his way.”
  • ex. The band who produces a mind-blowing first album and then gets stuck in a rut.

The tighter we cling to an identity, the harder it becomes to grow beyond it.

  • Avoid making any single aspect of your identity an overwhelming portion of who you are.
  • Keep your identity small.