Volume 4, Issue 1, January 2025

Welcome to Volume 4, Issue 1 of The Root.

In order to support our growth, we require a strong network of roots.  They anchor us and serve as a conduit for nutrients to help us develop and deliver on our goals.

It’s the 4th volume of The Root, and I’m so thankful for this opportunity to share what I’m learning – through my own journey to discover my true identity –

one that is personal and professional, and

yet embodies

my values, beliefs and vision

for helping others.

Thank you for following along my journey to Aspire to Grow.

Check us out at www.aspiretogrow.co 

Off the Shelf – My Book Pick

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear

When I initially read this book, Atomic Habits by James Clear back in 2021 or 2022, I wasn’t extremely blown away.  The ideas and frameworks are useful, but as a very habit driven person, it didn’t feel earth shattering. The framework was helpful, but not eye opening.

When I visited my adult son last month, I noticed he had this book on his side table. 

My sons were not readers. I am the only “nerd book” reader in the house (nerd = org psych book), so you can imagine my surprise (and slight giddiness).

So, I decided to reread it so I could talk with him about it.

I’m really glad I did. 

Three Layers of Behavior Change

Clear begins by reminding us that there are three layers to behavior change:

• Outcomes (the goals)
• Process (what will you do to achieve the goals)
• Identity (who will you become if you achieve those goals)

What’s important here is how our thoughts, beliefs and feelings impact our behavior -which impacts our outcomes. 

The biggest takeaway for me were the critical questions involved with the most inner layer – Identity: 

“Who do you want to be?”

“What is your chosen identity?”

These may seem straightforward if you are creating  new habits from a perspective of enhancing your professional or personal identity. You may want to become a more successful team leader, a more positive parent, or a healthier individual, etc.).

If you are looking to make a LARGE shift or pivot (career shift, big personal change), the new identity you are moving toward can look VERY different.

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Changing Your Identity – and Why it Matters?

The very inner circle of the change is your identity.  The heart of the change rationale.

It is encompassed by:

• Your beliefs
• Your worldview
• Your self-image
• Your judgment of self and others

So, it’s not a surprise that our limiting beliefs, assumptions and our biases are the big kickers here . They are the real reasons that our new “habits” might not stand a chance. 

What are they, and how do they hold us back or help us contribute to our desired identity?

 The power is in what we believe – and who we wish to become. Start with this when considering your big audacious goals for this year.

What does this version of you want to look like?

What do you believe in?

Clear states, “behavior that is incongruent with the self will not last”.

How might this role of your identity consider what processes you need to build to create this new self? 

Here is a cheat sheet from the Atomic Habits from James Clear with more detail from the book and building sustainable habits.

Good luck – and I hope this was enlightening for those of you making big changes. 🌿❤️📗

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Read On – My Article Pick

Understand Social Identity to Lead in a Changing World Center for Creative Leadership 

Our social identity plays a large role in our own leadership and views of ourselves (and views by others). 

Mostly, we consider this as a one dimensional aspect, or maybe at best 2 or 3 (age, race, gender). 

But at the Center for Creative Leadership discusses, social identity is actually made up of:

• Characteristics of our birth
• What we’ve chosen for ourselves
• The socioeconomic conditions we were raise in
• Things that are visible and things that are invisible to others

And, it’s constantly changing. 

With ever evolving globalization, multiple factors influence who we are, as well as who our employees, peers, friends and family are, too. 

Here are Four Important Factors about Social Identities:

Importance of Our Identities

Upon completing this exercise for an Ethics class, I realized that those individuals I’m working with (or researching) are more dimensional than I have considered.  We all are.

These dimensions contribute to how they experience the world and respond to events.

If you are to make a mind map of your own identity (and consider making one of your key employee or client), draw a bubble for each category and :

• Age/generation
• Socioeconomic class you are in
• Socioeconomic class you were born/raised in
• Geographic location
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender/Non-binary identity
• Sexuality
• Education level
• Ability/disability status
• Etc.

Now consider what assumptions or biases you have as a result of each variable.

Now, consider which emotions you feel because of those assumptions or biases. 

Pressbooks offers a Visual Map and content for building Self-Identity Maps. 

Reflection Questions

Just a few to consider here — 

• How might your identity be holding you back from achieving your goals?
• What assumptions or biases may be holding you back?
• How might you build processes to change these assumptions?
• How might you consider how others view you (and how might you impact that?)
• How might you be making assumptions about others you interact with?
• How might intersectionality of multiple variables impact the social identity of others?

If you are willing to share, I’d love to know if this brought any a-ha moments to you, and offered you a way to see your potential identity gaps ?

Thank you for reading.

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