Unlearning your identity
Parts of my identity that oftentimes get in the way of entrepreneurship...
This is why entrepreneurship is the hardest thing for me:
Over the long run, the real reason you fail to stick with habits is that your self-image gets in the way. This is why you can’t get too attached to one version of your identity. Progress requires unlearning. Becoming the best version of yourself requires you to continuously edit your beliefs, and to upgrade and expand your identity. – James Clear
I think there’s a few things that’s part of my identity that oftentimes get in the way of entrepreneurship:
Money mindset - Growing up I felt having money was ‘dirty’. So I ignored it, and focused on what things that felt more ‘virtuous’, like passion, self-growth. But now, as a husband, father, adult son, I truly see why money isn’t dirty. At the fundamental it’s just a medium for ensuring food, shelter, safety, for my family. Any resource can be used or abused in unwholesome ways, so that should be what I’m against, not money in and of itself. But old mindsets die hard, especially ones you grew up with. So what happens you want abundance but you hate money, the one resource that can bring abundance? You blocked yourself, unknowingly. I’m more self-aware of that now, but still takes effort and work to shed that skin.
Charity and altruism - My first real career was in the social welfare sector. It was all about doing it for charity, altruism, and compassion, for me. That was the past 20 years of my life, basically. So what happens when you want to switch to a career to maximise profits and personal gain? You struggle to get used to it. It’s related to point #1.
Employee mindset - I’m a good student and employee. I still am. I know how to follow the rules, serve my boss, toe the line, keep my head down, work hard for the organisation, do as told, be professional and amiable with colleagues and partners. So what happens when you need to break the rules, zag when other zig, self-promote, and stand out, or even get some haters? You instinctively bristle at it, shy away, avoid it. But that’s what entrepreneurs need to do.
So Mr Clear is right - I need to edit these beliefs. Ironically, I got to expand my identity by removing parts of it.
Only when these bits go is there room for the new ones to grow into.
The million dollar question is… how does one edit and transform deep-seated beliefs and mindsets?