A Small But Insanely Important Aspect Of Identity That Most People Get Wrong
The Confusion Between Core Identities And Important Identities
Hey Seekers!
Welcome to Today’s Edition of the Seeking Sageship Newsletter!
Your Daily Guidance to Go Beyond Leadership!
All Subscribers have Access to the Free Section…
1%+ Compounded Improvement in 1% of Your Time Maximum!
Plus, a Preview of the “Psychophysiological Freedom” Paid Section Is Available!
Let’s Dive In…
A Small But Insanely Important Aspect Of Identity That Most People Get Wrong
The Confusion Between Core Identities And Important Identities
Who Are You?
This is perhaps one of the most important, yet completely misunderstood, questions of all time.
The goal of the question is to understand our identity...
Except, already we are misunderstanding the concept of “identity”.
Often we see ourselves as “one” identity...
Which is usually encompassed by our name.
But when we dive into psychophysiology at deep levels...
We discover that there really is no such thing as “one” identity.
Yes, our name “represents” the totality of who we are...
But who we are is a complex mix of “many” identities.
Those identities can even sometimes “compete” against each other to dictate what we do or do not act on in life...
And in some cases, will actually “split” into different personalities with specific separations between identities.
When we begin to see the reality that we are a “mix” of identities...
We can begin to understand ourselves and our actions better.
When I work with people, one of the exercises that I will have them do is to identify as many of their identities as they currently know...
Yes, the vast majority of people “also” have identities that they are completely “unaware” of, which are working in the subconscious, but that is a story for another time.
As I have people separate identify different identities, I also have them split those identities into different categories.
Specifically, there are 10 categories.
Now, here’s the thing...
One of these categories are called “Core Identities”.
The other nine categories are called “Transient Identities”.
What I have seen with people over the years...
Is that they dedicate so much of themselves to a Transient Identity...
And when those Identities eventually change...
Because everything that is Transient eventually changes...
They usually struggle, and sometimes it can become psychological crises.
I also know it from having experienced it in my own life.
The goal of splitting these identities into “Transient” and “Core” is to help us recognize...
What is stable...
And what will “eventually” change.
Sometimes that change is positive, and sometimes that change is negative...
But it will change.
However, there are two things that most people get caught up on when they begin to do this exercise...
The first is that most people begin to realize that they do not know “any” of their Core Identities...
Quite literally having “nothing” in that category as they do the exercise, which is normal, and something that I faced myself.
The second is that most people struggle with the idea because they “confuse” the idea of “Core Identities” with “Important Identities”.
In our society today, we are often taught to “value” certain parts of our identities...
Or devalue other parts, but that is a story for another day...
And in this “valuation” process, we begin to label certain identities as “Important”.
We see this in identities like the “Proud Parent” or with the person who has their “Dream Job”.
For many people, these are “Important Identities”.
But...
The process of separating these Identities into “Core” and “Transient” has nothing to do with “Importance”.
Let’s take the Proud Parent as an Example.
Why is this a “Transient Identity”?
Is it because it is “not” important?
Of course not!
The reason it is “Transient” is because what it means to be a “Parent” changes over time and after different events.
What it means to be a parent to a newborn is different than what it means to be a parent to a toddler...
Which differs from what it means to be a parent to a teenager...
Which differs from being the parent of someone who is now an adult...
Which differs from being the parent of a child who, God forbid, passes away.
We often do not like to think about “how” this Identity of “Parent” changes...
But what happens when we are unprepared for the inevitable changes?
Pain...
Suffering...
Being Lost...
All of these and more occur as people struggle with the Transient nature of this Identity.
The unprepared parent...
The empty nester...
The heartbroken parent...
All are examples of individuals struggling with the changes that have occurred...
Because, at a subconscious level, they were not preparing themselves for the changes...
But change comes anyway.
So, when many people are attempting to understand their different identities, they will usually try to put certain identities in their “Core Identities”...
Because those feel “Important”.
But “Core” and “Important” are not the same thing.
Many of the Identities we feel are Important are Transient...
That does not add or subtract from the value of the identity.
What this exercise does is help us determine how “stable” our current knowledge of our identities is.
Most people only know a “couple” of their identities...
All of which are “Transient”...
They may also be Important, but they will inevitably change...
And sometimes “all” of those Transient Identities will change...
All at the exact same time.
The result for those individuals is that they begin to feel like they are drowning in a sea of confusion...
Because they do not have “any” Identity left that has been left unchanged...
Or sometimes it is that the unchanged identities feel like they do not matter, “because” we viewed them as “Less Important” than the identities that changed.
In either case...
We begin to deeply struggle with the question of, “Who am I?”
We no longer “know” who we are...
And it becomes difficult to know how or why to act or not act within our world.
Sometimes we “go through the motions”...
Out of necessity...
Or fear...
But it puts us into a psychological limbo where we really have no idea what will happen or who we will become...
Which becomes an existential terror or threat to our well-being.
The result is that, psychophysiologically, we begin to go into states of dis-stress...
Which can become chronic dis-stress...
And this becomes dangerous.
Why?
In dis-stress...
We are at our worst.
Our problem-solving decreases...
Leading to poor decisions.
These poor decisions often become stress chains...
Where one stressor “causes” another stressor, which “causes” another stressor.
These stress chains build and grow until we begin to feel like we are “trapped” in chronic dis-stress...
Which is where many people find themselves today.
The consequences of chronic dis-stress become things like Burnout and Chronic Disease...
Which, as we are seeing in the world today, are spreading...
And though our Identities are not the “sole” cause of chronic dis-stress...
They are often “strong” contributing factors.
So, the goal of understanding the difference between “Core” and “Transient” Identities has really “nothing” to do with the “Importance” of an Identity.
The goal has to do with determining how “Stable” your current knowledge of your Identities is...
How at-risk you are to the Transient Nature of most Identities...
And to help prepare your expectations of these Identities, so that when many of them “do” change, you are not blindsided and struck with significantly more dis-stress.
My suggestion to you is to seek your “True” Core Identities...
Even if it is difficult...
Because the knowledge of Core Identities puts you at a psychological advantage over time...
For changes that most people are never prepared for.
Discover Your Core.
Those Who Seek Sageship Also Cultivate Others!
Share this Article Today With Someone Who Needs It and Earn Exclusive Rewards!
Are You Ready To Become A Sage?
Paid Subscribers will Gain ‘Exclusive’ Access to…
Read the Entire “Psychophysiology Freedom” Deep Dive Section for Exponential Results
Access to the “Full” Paid Archive (Check Out the Cultivation Center for More)
Connect Further in the “Subscriber Only” Chat & Comments Section
“Directly” Impact Regenerative Projects around the Globe
With “More” Coming In The Future…
It’s Time to Change The World!
Psychophysiological Freedom
For Paid Subscribers
So, let’s look a bit closer at Identities next.
There are a lot of Preconceived Ideas that we have…
Which are not accurate.
So, let’s dive into some healthier ways to look at these different identities.
Let’s Dive In…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Seeking Sageship: Beyond Leadership to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.