One piece of gossip aimed your way could destroy your reputation, even if it is untrue. If you base your identity on things like success, wealth, power, physical appearance, and so on, you are setting yourself up for great disappointment. A sudden job loss could leave you questioning your choices in life. Any of them could change without warning. We also ask our relationship statuses, appearance, grades, and reputation to provide a sense of identity.Īny or all of these may feel like solid foundations, but none of them are permanent. Jobs and careers are closely connected to other places where you can search for your identity, such as financial success and status. After all, a job that you are dedicated to is likely to take up most of your time and attention. Spending your time and energy pursuing your career can cause you to feel like it is a defining characteristic of who you are.
One of the first places that you can be tempted to look to is your career.
While our world encourages you to look within yourself for your identity, your natural tendency is to search for your identity in external things.
