As an athlete, one of the questions I get asked is “How do you find the time to exercise?”. I go on a walk every day and usually do a 60- to 90-minute workout. To me, that’s normal, I don’t even think about it; but to some, carving out that much time to exercise seems unimaginable.
But there is a deeper, more important question being asked here. It’s “Why are you able to do something I can’t? What’s different?”
There is an obvious, yet hidden answer: we have different identities.
Identity is the source of all action
Everything you do consistently or as a habit is rooted in a piece of your identity. We do what we love. We make time for our passions and the things that are important to us.
Athletes train.
Painters paint.
Builders build.
Vegetarians don’t eat meat,
Crossfitters and Ironmans tell everyone about it.
Identity-based actions are effortless, but we all have actions or habits we want to build into our lives that don’t align with our current identities and so we struggle to incorporate them.
For example, despite wanting to learn Portuguese, try new restaurants, or travel as much as I say I want to, I don’t. That’s because I don’t see myself as a Brazilian, Foodie, or wanderlust Adventurer.
In these scenarios more discipline, hard work, and grit won’t help.
It’s an identity “problem”, but what’s the solution?
Action and identity are part of a compounding flywheel
Finding a way to connect your identity with the desired action is the key to success. When you start saying “I do this because it’s who I am”, magic starts to happen.
That’s because the relationship between identity and actions has a compounding effect over time.
Your identity influences your actions, and your actions build your identity, which leads to more of the same type of actions!
See my Action Identity Flywheel below:
I love what James Clear says, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
Every action builds your identity, making it easier to take the same action again.
Alex Hormozi says something similar, “You don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are.”
Doing something repeatedly removes imposter syndrome and solidifies identity.
How to leverage the Identity Action Flywheel
Your identity is surprisingly flexible. As we grow it is constantly evolving, but with intentional action, we can alter it purposefully.
Here is a 5 step process to leverage the Identity Action Flywheel:
Step 1: Identify what you want to achieve or accomplish
Step 2: Find people who have achieved it and list the actions they take
Step 3: Choose a few of those items and start doing them regularly
Step 4: Keep a list of completed actions to validate your identity
Step 5: Reflect on that list to make doing them consistently easier
This process can be used to solidify or build any identity or personal characteristics regardless of how drastic they may be.
Building something new often means unpacking the old
Although this process can be used to cultivate new identities, it’s important to unpack our current identities, actions, and motivations.
We often have identities that are counter-productive to the goals and ambitions we set for ourselves and you won’t be able to build a new identity if you hold on to the ones that you’re trying to build.
Self-reflection is an important part of self-improvement!