Focus On Who You Are, Not What You Do

Focus on who you are over what you do. Often if you ask an educator what they do, they will say, “I teach English,” ask a doctor and they will say, “I’m a pediatrician,” or someone in business will say, "I'm in sales." Those are true answers and they paint a fairly specific picture, but they also are being used to define that person, and can keep them from growing.

I used to say “I’m a physics teacher,” but then I started teaching different classes and still say that. I realized I was not discussing other courses with the same level of appreciation, but saying all the courses I taught were cumbersome in a conversation. I was also boxing myself into just being a science teacher of those courses. When I became a department chair, I also would say that and explain all the areas I oversaw. But I was so much more than just that. And I realized at some point, that what I was in reality was a leader. I led students, teachers, counselors and administrators.

Finally seeing myself as a leader opened my eyes to other possibilities. I have a goal of using my experience to coach other leaders, and with my 16 years in official leadership roles so far, I have a vast background to be able to pull from in helping others. When I think of myself as a leader, and not just a math and science department chair, it frees me to take on new challenges, seek new roles, and provide a larger impact on this planet. Impact is one of my core values, and this point of view change from what I do to who I am has led me down a path towards bigger impact.

How can you take this same mindset? Think about what you do, the small scale day-to-day of your job. But then zoom out - what is it within that job that you really are? Instead of being a small business owner, try the word entrepreneur. It is such a vague word, and is perfect for this exercise. You are not limited to anything, and usually one opportunity leads upward to the next and the next. Broaden your view, and enjoy the new opportunities that become available to you.

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