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Identities

An identity is the set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, and/or expressions that characterize a person or a group.

Identity serves multiple functions, acting as a "self-regulatory structure" that provides meaning, direction, and a sense of self-control. It fosters internal harmony and serves as a behavioral compass, enabling individuals to orient themselves towards the future and establish long-term goals. As an active process, it profoundly influences an individual's capacity to adapt to life events and achieve a state of well-being. However, identity originates from traits or attributes that you may have little or no control over, such as their family background or ethnicity.

Identities then will be the guide of my life. I've tried setting essential goals, answering big questions with no success so far. This approach however looks more interesting because:

  • I can split myself in many identities each with it's definition and analyse life through the different lenses, identify identity conflicts, priorize identities...
  • I can analyse each identity on it's own, decide how to change my roadmap to integrate the ones I want to adopt and get away from the ones I want to leave behind.
  • It reminds me of the RPG character building and although it may seem silly, that motivates me.
  • It fits quite well with what I've learnt regarding habit management

The identities archive⚑

I'm using a new notebook page called identities.org where I plan to analyze, build and evolve my identities.

An identity section⚑

Each identity may have the next sections. A simple heading with the name of the identity is just fine. You'll create the sections as long as you need them.

Analysis of the identity⚑

Here we can develop our thoughts on what does the identity mean and what do you see yourself embodying the identity

Identity characteristics⚑

List the values, habits, abilities, knowledge, capabilities and experiences that define the identity, and analyse each of them.

Identity plan⚑

Here is where we can sketch the plan we want to follow to grow or shrink this identity. It contains a list of identity axis.

Children identities⚑

Sometimes an identity can be refined in smaller more specific identities, here we'll add sections for each of them.

Identity analysis⚑

Dump your thoughts on your identities⚑

Before we get tainted with our past analysis imagine a fresh canvas and start painting yourself.

You can add a section in think.org to record your findings. I found that I needed some time to do this dump, working on the section through days before the actual analysis.

Do an initial list of values⚑

I first created a global values or principles headline and listed all core principles such as:

  • All creatures are beautiful
  • Be excellent to each other
  • Better done than perfect

You may refactor them into the identities once you start building them.

Do an initial list of identities⚑

Empty your mind of the different identities that define you or that you want to be defined by. Create headlines for each using the sections defined above as you need them.

Do an initial list of axis⚑

Dream of what axis you'll want to address. If you can order them into identities.

Do the identity analysis⚑

Refactor the gathered thoughts into the identities.org file⚑

Select the identities you want to prioritise in the year⚑

  • Skim over all identities and for the ones you want to focus in the year:
  • add the identity tag
  • assign a priority
  • do not add a TODO keyword, we'll reserve them for the identity axis.
  • Use the year custom agenda identities section to adjust the priority of the different identities following the next guides:
  • Spread the identities over the different priorities so that each has more less the same number of elements.
  • Compare an identity with the ones that are above or below and decide if you promote or demote it
  • If you don't want one identity to bien the list add the backlog tag if you don't want that identity and it's subidentities to appear. Add the hide tag in case you want any of the subidentities

Refine the identities⚑

Following the priority order of identities go one by one until you run out of time and: