The Peril and Power of Identity

I’ve had some experiences lately (I’ll spare you the details) that have helped me to appreciate the double-edged nature of identity. Part of my identity happens to be the belief that I have a gift for interpreting life experiences - my own and others’.

Identity is an important aspect of being human, one that we often take for granted, usually at our peril. For those who are willing to explore beneath the surface features of their lives, the possibilities are truly extraordinary.

Years ago I attended a presentation on the relationship between identity and human behavior. I don’t remember all of the specifics, nor the statistics, but the main thing I took from that event was an increased appreciation for the power of identity.

A sense of identity allows one to feel that s/he is pretty much the same person s/he was relative to some other moment in time. This is generally a good thing. Memories and habits allow identity to develop and sustain itself. While these things are common aspects of identity, they can also become traps in an unexamined life.

Consider the case of a person who is not consciously processing memories or examining habits. A person in this situation becomes increasingly programmed to begin to believe that these memories and habits define the possibilities for his/her existence. While this can give a person a sense of security, continuity and stability, the danger is that one’s life increasingly takes on the characteristics of a carousel ride.

One goes around in circles, maybe even moving up and down on a particular horse, but at the end of the ride, a person finds that s/he is in the same place s/he started. While there may be perceived benefits in this approach to life, growth is stunted and positive changes usually come very slowly, with much pain and struggle.

In my experience most of us define ourselves largely by our perceived limitations, shortcomings, mistakes, moral failings, addictions, disabilities, challenges, and wounds. Isn’t it often the case that we use words like “can’t,” and “I’m not” when we think about ourselves? Are these things actually true? Or do we say, think, and act upon these kinds of limited and limiting thoughts because we are afraid of what it would mean if they weren’t true?

What if these stories we tell ourselves are actually lies? For the moment, let’s assume they are. If that's the case, then who are we really? If we base our lives upon lies, will we ever realize even a tiny fraction of the possibilities available to us? Will we even risk the possibility of bumping up against something unknown? What’s the point when we will not pass through the fog of fear and doubt to see what lies beyond?

Article Author: Bill Frase

Bill Frase is coach, writer, speaker, and transformational artist who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife and son. The main focus of his work is helping people transform their lives into absolute masterpieces.

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