Why we define ourselves by our jobs

I think the following raises some excellent points about success, failures, self-worth, and career management. I’ve included a few of the highlights for you to get the gist of the article:

“If you tie [your self-worth] to your career, the successes and failures you experience will directly affect your self-worth,’ says Wilson. “And because we live in a society where careers are less likely to be lifelong, if we switch or find ourselves out of a job, it can also become an identity crisis.”

And enmeshment doesn’t only threaten the way we feel about ourselves personally. Janna Koretz, founder of Azimuth Psychological, a Boston-based practice focused on the mental health of people in high-pressure jobs, says that linking self-worth to your career can turn a career hurdle into something considerably tougher to overcome. “Inevitably, something will happen,” she says. “There will be lay-offs, a recession, your company will be acquired, and suddenly your job isn’t what it used to be. It becomes really existential for people, and they have poor coping strategies because it’s earth-shattering. So, it becomes depression, anxiety, even substance abuse.”

But until there’s a problem, most people who’ve slipped into a career-centric identity don’t even realise it’s happening. “We work with people who are uncomfortable with how much they’re defined by their job,” says Koretz. Ironically, she adds, most would also say they’re doing their “dream job”, or something they love.

What do you think? Maybe you’d like to read on? Check out the full version here then give me a message to discuss how this might impact your own business: [email protected].