Do You Have Identity-Based Habits?
Creating Identity-based Habits
I’ve written about goal-setting in the past and I emphasize process orientation. Combined with a cognitive behavioral approach, process orientation moves individuals away from identifying too strongly with a goal. This approach gives breathing room for behavior change. This isn’t to say that goal identitfication is bad, nor is it to say that focusing on one’s identity should be frowned upon.
The consideration is to be mindful of problems that may occur when someone is so strewn into their identification that it negatively effects their ability to change behavior. Some people over-identify, or cling to an identification that doesn’t serve them with regard to desired change. In these instances, the individual can be guided away from identity. Giving some freedom and movement to allow for behavior change.
Once disengaged from a previously restraining identification, one can add new identifiers (and their accompanying habits) as the next step in their process. This tactic is noted in James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits,” where he explains the benefits of having identity-based habits. When your habits are identity-based, it’s like adding gravitas and glue to the behaviors you want to accentuate for higher quality living.
Symbiosis of Identity and Behavior
With this approach, identity and behavior are symbiotic. I like to look at it like this: there’s one tactic to make space for a new behavior, and another tactic to maintain it. To make space for some behavior change and trying a new habit, you want to release previous identification with a self-imposed label or hardened goal-setting mentality. To maintain the habit, you’ll want to reinforce it with an identity-based approach.
Let’s explore what identity-based habits look like in practice. James Clear states that your habits are how you embody a particular identity. For example, every day that you make your bed, you embody someone who is clean and organized. Every day that you go to the gym, you embody the identity of someone who is fit. Every day that you sit down to write a sentence, you embody the identity of someone who is a writer.
The foundational idea here is that every action you take is a vote for the type of person you think you are. As you cast more votes for that particular type of identity, it’s like the evidence builds up and you start to believe it about yourself. When you do something enough times, you’ll cross this invisible threshold and you’ll believe “I’m this kind of person.” With this approach, the habits build up the evidence of your identity.
Affirming the Type of Person You Are
Eventually the things you believe about yourself are reinforced by the actions you take. Basically, habits are the path you can reshape your self image. Doing anything related to the habit allows you to psychologically cast a vote, and you’ll be able to affirm your identity-statement: “I’m the type of person who…”
For example, I’m the type of person who writes every day. Or I’m the type of person who gets in a workout (even if for 5 min on days I don’t have time). Or I’m the type of person who makes time for my family. Your chosen behaviors each day, then line up with the habits you want to make and the habits you want to break. The cumulative effect of reinforcing your desired identity is really big in the long run.
Small habits are the pathway in which you can reshape your self-image. This is the main reason why habits matter. And it’s why you want to embrace a paradigm shift to move beyond will-power and goal-setting, and include the formation of identity-based habits.
Shifting Your Internal Perspective
When you set up your own affirming statements, like “I’m the type of person who…” (or more simply “I’m someone who…”), this helps with clarity around what habits you’ll keep and what you’ll need to change. When you have these clear statements, you can then ask yourself the question: “Does that kind of person do this kind of behavior?” If it’s an immediate “yes,” then keep it. If it’s an immediate “no,” then don’t do it.
It’s one thing to say, “I’m the person who wants this” and it’s another thing to say, “I’m the person who IS this.” If you don’t have that shift in internal perspective, then it’s hard for the behavior to follow suit.
What’s your relationship with having identity-based habits? Have you noticed if your inner dialogue says you’re someone who “wants this” or someone who “is this?” Give it some thought. See if your habits are aligned with who you see yourself becoming.