Just like everything else, your self-concept is a habit that affects all of your decisions. Protecting your identity often keeps you from moving forward. In this episode, I talk about The Identity Factor and how you can move past the restraints put on you as you try to keep yourself safe.

Highlights

Definition of The Identity Factor: A mechanism that kicks in – subconsciously – whenever you try to make a significant internal change that will affect your self-concept and your position in the world. There's a fear that if you make these changes, it will lead to your being alone and alienated.I talk about the behavioral effects of The Identity Factor.Common among successful people is that they never feel satisfied. So learning to be satisfied is a threat to who they perceive themselves to be – even though they understand that learning to be satisfied could make them more comfortable.We are programmed to always want more, which keeps us unsatisfied.If you have a habit of feeling alone, learning to feel connected can be a threat to your identity.It is perfectly natural to resist major changes to how you have been. It's easier for younger people than for older people.Are you willing to look at who you have been so you can decide who you want to be?It takes courage to let people know who you really are.For your life to change, you have to change.The more adept you are at change, the better your life will be – even though those periods of change can be uncomfortable.To become naturally prosperous – where you really feel rich – you need to look at many internal aspects of yourself and be willing to make changes.Each person has a unique combination of things they have to work on to become more comfortable.To be a full human being, we have to learn how to live in society and we get to choose how we want to do that and who we want to connect to.Your external world is just a reflection of what's going on inside of you.

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What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce D. Perry