“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
James Clear, Atomic Habits, p. 38
In the last article we touched on a tip for gaining traction having to do with overcoming distractions due to discomfort. Here we look at another tip for gaining traction by taking on the identity of someone who has reached the outcome you desire.
For example, let’s say you want to exercise more, and you want to take up running. By adding “I am a runner” to your identity, you are more likely to form a habit of running. When you get outside for the first time and run 20 minutes by running a minute and walking 4 minutes, it’s a vote for your identity as a runner. The next day when you run 20 minutes by running a minute and walking 3 minutes, it’s another vote for your identity as a runner. Day after day you are proving you are a runner. James Clear puts it this way:
New identities require new evidence…It is a simple two-step process:
– Decide the type of person you want to be.
– Prove it to yourself with small wins.
James Clear, Atomic Habits, p. 39
Dave Stachowiak, author of the podcast Coaching for Leaders, suggests taking on a new identity every 90 days. Yes, every 90 days!! He mentioned that the current identity he has taken on is being a concise communicator. To prove that he is a concise communicator (or perhaps more correctly is working towards that outcome) he times himself speaking once a day. He then reflects on what details could have been left out. By creating a daily habit, Dave is proving to himself that he is a concise communicator.
In my case, I have taken on the identity of a coach. I realized the one thing coaches need to do is…yes, coach. And, at the time I decided to take on this identity I was only coaching a few people on my team that I was leading. So I expanded and asked people outside of my workplace if they would be up for some coaching from me. A few said yes and every time we meet my identity as a coach is being proved.
Your identity can be anything you want it to be. What do you want to work on? Note, the question is not what should I work on. If you hear yourself saying “I should work on x,” then change it to “I will work on x.” If that statement doesn’t resonate with you and you know you won’t commit to it, then this is likely something that you shouldn’t work on. Look instead to who you want to be, and choose an identity around that.
Examples to spark ideas:
| Type of person | Small daily win |
| I am a good listener. | In one conversation a day, I will be mindful to listen with the intent to understand, not to reply. |
| I am a healthy eater. | When presented with a choice of what to eat, I choose the healthy option. |
| I am a public speaker. | I record myself speaking and evaluate where I can do better next time. |
“Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”
John Maxwell, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, p. 73
engineer your life
- Ask yourself who you want to be, or in what way you want to become better.
- Choose an identity.
- Determine something small you can do daily to prove the identity is correct.