Most of our behaviors and habits are linked to how we identify ourselves.
How are you identifying yourself today?
What is one small step you can take to change the way you identify yourself?
It is in the execution of small decisions that changes how we identify ourselves.
We have to start doing the actions of who we want to be in order to start identifying ourselves as that. As we do this little by little it will start to become who we are.

If we merely set goals instead of changing how we identify ourselves, then we will be stuck in a cycle of outcome based change as opposed to identity based change. Outcome based change only lasts until we reach our goal. If we change our identity though, it becomes a lifelong change.

For instance, if you want to be a healthy person you must start telling yourself “I am a healthy person.” Then little by little make healthier choices. Ask yourself what would a healthy person do? If the goal is to just loose a certain amount of weight, then once you lose it you will stop because you put your effort into the outcome instead of continuing a healthy lifestyle and creating a habit of healthiness.

If you want to be a writer the outcome based approach would be to write a book. The identity based change would be writing everyday and identifying yourself as a writer.

There are so many examples. Think of who you want to be and start being that person until it becomes your identity!

If you are identifying yourself in a negative way, STOP THAT!

Stop telling yourself things that you no longer want to be.

“I am always going to be a failure.”

“It runs in my family.”

“I’m so out of shape.”

“I’m ugly.”

“I’m not a morning person.”

“I’m not that smart.”

“I’ve been smoking since I was a teenager.”

“Alcoholism runs in my family.”

I think you get my drift. Even if some of these statements hold some truth, if you continue you tell yourself such things, that’s who you will continue to identify yourself as. So STOP IT!

Your successful, beautiful, healthy, amazing, and so much more!

Be blessed until next time,

Ash