You are not your job. Never make your job your whole identity!
All to often, most people are defined by their job. And many people attach their very identity to their job. It’s not hard to see why.
People often introduce others and themselves in terms of what they do for work.
“He’s a legal assistant. She’s a barista. He’s a computer technician. She works as an executive at a big accounting firm.”
So, who are you?
I’m [blank]. I’m a [insert job position/title] at [insert place of work].
We are often defined by our jobs and our jobs become a huge part of our identity.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t take pride in your work or be proud of the titles you achieve, but a job is a very poor way to define somebody and ourselves.
We are more then our jobs / titles or, at the very least we must strive to be. Life is too short not to be more.
But for a great many people, they attach their entire identity to their job. This is very unhealthy and will lead you into despair.
Thus, I am telling you: Do not become attached like that to your job!
Here is why you should never make your job your whole identity!
1) You Don’t Matter to Your Employer
Yes, you read that right. You don’t matter to your employer.
You could be a hard-working all-star employee, show up for work and stay late every day, hand in all your assignments on time, a go-getter who takes the very job seriously and gets along great with everyone.
The next thing you know, you’re in the boss’s office being handed your walking papers.
What happened? Your company found a way to save $5 a month extra which means your services are no longer required.
But you were such a good hardworking loyal employee who put so much into your job.
Guess what? Your employer doesn’t care!
(And this happens more often than not)
That is the risk you take when you climb up someone else’s corporate ladder, you can be kicked off anything time. And the rest is history.
It doesn’t matter that you have a family to feed or even that you are sick and rely on your employer’s health insurance. Your employer doesn’t care.
2) You Are Easily Replaceable
You (like me) are nothing more then a cog in a machine.
Moreover, you (like me) are an easily replaceable cog in a machine.
If you are treated poorly or unfairly, you can complain or threaten to quit all you want. You employer will just replace you with another replaceable cog.
It doesn’t matter how good a worker you are. I watched this happen at all my jobs.
Take note, you are replaceable!
However, on the positive side, that makes you mobile. Often times, we bounce from job to job and there is nothing wrong with that.
That is just the way it works. But if your identity is tied up with your job, it makes you less mobile.
The era of being with a single employer for life is over.
This isn’t to say you should be a slacker at work, however, it does mean you need to always be prepared to move on.
Two years ago, we had new management take over the office I work at.
Once the new executive and staff took over, many of the old workers, were simply fired, forced into “voluntary retirement”, and a few simply demoted.
These were people with fancy titles; executives, chiefs, deputies, etc., many of whom passionately devoted 30+ years of their lives to the job.
In the end, despite all the blood, sweat, and tears they put into their job, They were simply given the boot. They were also cogs.
They were now emotionally crushed. That was their whole identity destroyed. It was sad to see.
3) Jobs Don’t Last Forever
When your identity is so tied up to your job, you set yourself up for unnecessary suffering.
Imagine you put so many years of your life, sweat, and tears into a company and suddenly your let go, laid off, or fired.
How would you feel? (Much like the old chiefs who were fired at my office?)
Your job is gone and now your identity is shattered. You’re in a state of depression. You don’t know who you are anymore.
Your relationships (if any) begin to suffer, you take to alcohol, and have trouble even looking for another job or career change.
That is no way to enjoy your one life on this Earth. You must never become your job! Yet, many tend to do just that. It happens across all spectrums of careers.
Furthermore, there is the problem of age. Unfortunately, we all get old and there is wear and tear on the body and mind.
Eventually, you will likely to be unable to work due to the effects of aging. And then what? Who are you? Age doesn’t care about your job or title; it gets us all.
For example, imagine a life-saving doctor who, due to advanced age, finally retires after 40 years of practice.
Suddenly, the retired doctor is depressed. (It is very common for retirees to enter into depression)
His or her career was such a huge part of his or her identity, if not all of it.
For 40 years he or she was a doctor. Now, the doctor doesn’t know who he or she is anymore. That depression will only lead to an early death rather than enjoyment of life.
Conclusion: Never Make Your Job Your Whole Identity
And that is why you never make your job your whole identity!
What should you define yourself as, if not your job?
So, who are you?
… a person, father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, friend, comrade, hiker, nature-lover, beach-goer, animal-lover, surfer, biker, artist, lover of BBQ’s, nightlife, sports games, etc.
You can (should) be more than one, your job should not be your all-encompassing identity.
There is much more to life than your 9-5 job. You have to be more then your job, much more!
You have to break free.
So, what do you think of this post? Are you more than your job? Also, what do you like to do that’s not job related? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, don’t forget to Subscribe for more great content and updates on my journey to financial freedom! 🙂
Like this:
Like Loading...