Preeminence of Identity

Everything we DO is based on WHO we are.

Or how we perceive ourselves to be or not be.

This week, let’s discuss the cornerstone of building well: IDENTITY.

Identity is Preeminent.

Preeminence: the fact of surpassing all others; superiority. It’s the thing that is superior to all other things.

All the goodness in our lives flows from a healthy identity.

Identity: who you are

A healthy identity is rooted in love, acceptance, worthiness, and values-self. Nothing needs to be done or achieved for this.

This level has nothing to do with what I DO. It’s the innateness of my humanness. Given. That alone IS ENOUGH.

Unfortunately, most individuals aren’t aware of nor accept that thinking, evidenced by our constant need to “become significant.”

Level 1: Another way to look at identity-how I view myself. I’ve determined that how we look at others is often how we look at ourselves.

• Judge and criticize others? I probably do that to myself.

• Mean to others? I probably mean to myself.

• Look down on others? I probably look down on myself.

• Compassion for others? Probably compassionate for ourselves.

• Love others? We probably have love for ourselves.

I grew my businesses as I did because of deep identity misperceptions or dissonance.

This is the hamster wheel of performance, hoping that if I perform well enough in an area of my life, that will mean something good about me. That may compensate for the lack of WHO I AM (or how I see myself). 🫠 

The sooner we realize the value worth of who we are created by a creator from love for love, everything changes.

Until then, so much of what we DO is only a prop for the lack we see in ourselves. 😅 

Level 2: Life identity. This is where familial position, occupation, and social identity can be.

For example, I AM a husband, father, leader, and entrepreneur.

Those are all good and right things. The issue comes when I have level 2 above level 1. Or I need level 2 to make level 1 identity.

Why? When we derive all our worth and value in our ability to do it, it becomes dangerous and difficult to sustain vs. do from who I am. We’re willing to hold boundaries that will keep the margin.

Operating from our level 1, we can work from authenticity and truth.

Ever wonder why a billionaire is a billionaire?
Ever wonder why a mom runs herself to death?
Ever wonder why Tom Brady couldn’t retire?

I do. And a lot of it is tied to identity.

When we get our identity sorted, we won’t run our souls off a cliff (like ya boy did)!

Here are two things to consider in growing healthy:

Pattern #1. View Yourself Rightly

Your innate value is FIXED, my friend. When this is understood and felt, freedom comes.

This is a massive part of building from peace and joy.

This is essential to grow FROM rest.

Day 1 of your life, the value and worth were already there.

Pattern #2. Accept Yourself Rightly

This pattern that we want to establish is accepting your innate value.

Why?

Please don’t hear what I’m NOT saying. This doesn’t mean we don’t grow, improve, mature, etc. Of course we do all that stuff.

I’m talk’n about growth and building from internal abundance, not lack.

This rewiring of the brain and heart will relieve the need to “BECOME.”

Good becoming is a result of a healthy identity.

(Bonus) Pattern #3. Build Rightly

I’m speaking from my experience in building business. Establish patterns #1 and #2 make #3 way better.

It changes how and why we build.

With the internal abundance that we now are aware of and accept, the motivations can shift from being rich in cash to being rich in impact, love, and service with your competencies.

Our ability to cultivate our competencies and express that to the world is one of our greatest gifts.

Why call them patterns?

Patterns are repetitive things. We tend to have a lot of unhealthy patterns stemming from unhealthy identity. My goal with this email is to give a different perspective to that.

What hits you?

I’d love to hear it. Could you reply and let me know?

-C