Are You Having An Identity Crisis?
In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.
Erik Erikson
Identity.
How do you define your identity? What is your identity?
According to dictionary.com, identity is:
condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is
Do you have a problem with your identity? Are you having an identity crisis?
Many of us find our identity in our careers, our positions, our family, our friends, our sports teams, and our personal pursuits.
I am an engineer, an operations manager, a father, a son, a husband, a writer, a speaker, a reader, a runner, a Cubs fan, a Phillies fan, a Bears fan, and an Eagles fan. These are a few of the things that describe me.
Is this my identity?
I’m currently reading H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle.
“We must remember that we don’t find our identity; we receive our identity from God. We are made in God’s image and likeness.”
The list I used to describe myself above is not who I am – these “titles” are not my identity. Instead, I must learn to look at my identity from a different perspective:
- I earned an engineering degree and license. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I manage in the operations department at my company. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I parent my two teenagers. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I love my wife. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I write. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I speak. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I read books and blogs. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I run. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
- I cheer for the Cubs, the Phillies, the Bears, and the Eagles. I AM A CHILD OF GOD.
My identity is not what I do, what I earned, or what I achieved. MY IDENTITY COMES FROM GOD.
When I begin to grasp this, I can face the challenges and uncertainties of life with confidence.
This is the same for you too.