I Think, Therefore I am

Photo by Vinicius "amnx" Amano on Unsplash

Lately, when people ask me that common question strangers ask, so what do you do? I’ve been trying to shift my mindset from saying what I did/do I work with change management in IT product migrations, to what I do/want to be doing more of, which is I am an author and speaker. The reason I am intentionally trying to make this mental shift is because I know the importance of Identity when it comes to achieving our goals.

In my book, I talk about the Latin phrase Cogito ergo sum - I think, therefore I am - which is referring to the idea that if we doubt our existence, then the mere ability to think and doubt is proof that we do actually exist. When Rene Descartes wrote this, he intended to use this idea and build off it to find other truths, taking a cue from Archimedes who looked for “one firm and immovable point in order to shift the entire earth.” These concepts describe how we as humans build on prior truths to find new truths.

I think, therefore I am, therefore I….

The words we choose to describe ourselves, whether in our own minds or out loud to others, form the identity we have, and that identity has significant influence over what we do next. James March, a professor of political science at Stanford University, has seen that when people make decisions, they tend to rely on two basic decision-making models: the consequences model and the identity model. This means that in any given situation, there is a part of us that asks, what would someone like me do in this situation?

When I center my identity around being a change management practitioner for Microsoft products, then I am more likely to make choices that align with that identity. However, if I start choosing my future identity now, then it will be a lot easier to align my day-to-day choices and activities to support that future. An IT consultant prioritizes time to find the next project. An author and speaker prioritizes time to write and work on the next keynote.

So, the question I leave you with today is this: what’s your identity? What do you think? Does it match what you want to do? If it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to change up that dialogue. Try filling in the blank:

I ________, therefore I _________.

If you want to run a 5K for the first time, don’t just say I am running a 5k, instead say I am a runner. Take the identity you want. Own it. Shift your mindset so that your thinking supports the doing that you want in your life.