Identity In Motion
Part 2: Exploring The Identity Helix™
Hi friends!
Welcome back to the topic of identity—a topic we can all relate to, by way of being human.
Here’s a quick, little recap before we dive back in…
Last month, I introduced the Identity Helix by way of describing the evolution of wealth and the evolution of self. And as it turns out, both have evolved in remarkably similar ways.
For so long, we’ve thought about wealth as money and self as the job title that got us the money. But now, both our concept of wealth and self are evolving—becoming much more multi-dimensional.
These days, we’re thinking about wealth as money—yes—but also extending beyond the money to include other assets. Similarly, we’re thinking about self as our job title—perhaps—but also extending beyond the title to include other aspects of self. For this reason, both our concept of wealth and self have considerable influence on our identity.
After all, you’re far more dynamic than how much money you have and how you make that money. You’re a living expression of your needs and values—identity in motion.
And this motion has a shape.
By Iain via Unsplash
Last month we explored how our sense of self is shaped by invisible forces—by the cultures and experiences we move through.
Family culture is the first force that shapes who we are and who we should be, by communicating—spoken or unspoken—the expectations of success, how it’s defined, and how it’s measured. These narratives are absorbed long before we have the language to question them.
Societal culture is another dimension that influences us as life progresses. How so? Well, each person is exposed to this invisible force by simply living in the world—exposed to values, norms, and narratives of those around them. For so long when someone asked “who are you?”—culture suggested we answer with a net worth or a job title.
Ordinary experiences are mundane, invisible forces, too. They quietly shape our needs and values, and over time, contribute to the continuous evolution of our identity. These experiences communicate messages about who we are and who we’re becoming.
Extraordinary experiences also add another dimension that influences us along the journey of life. How so? Well, extraordinary experiences stretch us—they invite us to explore the continuum of being, and in doing so, surface needs and values we may not have known we had.
Speaking of extraordinary experiences, life events are often catalysts for evolution. Life events such as the selling of a business, taking over a business, or receiving an inheritance. These moments have a way of surfacing the deep question: who are you, really? Beyond what you do, beyond what you make, and beyond what you’re “worth”? Life events often accelerate the evolution of self—inviting (sometimes even insisting on) the redefinition of self.
And here’s where the Identity Helix enters the chat… 🧬