Monday Musings: Outcome vs Identity
Greetings Royals,
It’s a warm day in Grenada today, just as it’s been yesterday… and the day before that and… well you get the idea. As we struggle through this heat wave, as our fans long feverishly for their union reps and as Grenlec smiles in grinch-like glee, I bring you another Monday musing. To be honest, I almost didn’t write anything today, mostly because I was thoroughly swamped with work and weighed down from exhaustion as you can expect in this weather. Today I find myself thinking about identity. This actually springs from a book I’ve been reading… well I’ve been trying to read it for some time now, but the screaming babies of life makes it harder to sit down and read as I used to (the size of it was also a bit daunting), but hey, let’s thank God for audio books. Allow me to digress a bit here, I’ve been resisting audio books for some time, it just felt like a betrayal to be honest, because I love holding books, while my eyes dance alone the words creating worlds in my mind. But I finally caved and tried it, and guys… and you know what? I can work with it. Think about those days when your eyes are tired and your head throbs just a bit, pop your headphones in and get that reading done.
Anyways, this book I’m reading (Atomic Habits by James Clear), is all about building healthy habits for lasting change and success. One of Clear’s points was the whole idea of identity as being a key component in building lasting healthy habits. He compares outcome based habits with Identity based habits, outcome based habits are focused on achieving change through goals, so this might look like:
Outcome based: I’m going to be a better Christian by 1. reading my bible every day 2. attending services 3. praying everyday
These look pretty good right, I mean after all as Christians we are encouraged to practice these disciplines regularly in order to grow spiritually. But then Clear points out that Identity based habits have been found to be more superior. Identity based habits are focused more on who one is becoming, or who one identifies as. So this might look like:
Identity based: I am a Christian, therefore I ready my bible everyday, attend services and pray everyday.
These decisions are not based on a set of goals we’ve written down, but our identity. John 3:1 says: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!. Colossians 3:1 says: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
James Clear might very well be onto something, but the bible said it first, change that is lasting and true, is one that is identity based, not outcome based. As believers it’s not about setting a bunch of goals and hope that we stick to them in order to look a particular way, rather, we are to accept and acknowledge who we are called to be, who we are in Christ and who we are becoming and engage in actions that align with our identity.
Clear used an example where one person was offered a cigarette and his response was, “no thanks I’m trying to quit” another person was asked the same question and his response was “no thanks, I’m not a smoker”. Which one is more likely to quit? Is it the one who is trying or the one who is resolute about who he is and who he isn’t? Here’s another one for you: two married men are approached by two beautiful women, one man says, “No thanks ladies, I’m trying to do the right by the wife,” the other man shows his ring and says, “I’m married and I’m not a cheater”. Who is more likely to not get themselves in trouble?
You try it, what are some habits in your life you’ve been trying to break, or develop that you’ve been struggling with? Could it be that it’s an identity issue? Could it be that you don’t write because you don’t see yourself as a writer, you don’t read your bible because you don’t see your self as a Christian, you don’t honour your partner because you don’t see yourself as being in a relationship? Every time you engage in an action you are strengthening your identity, every time you read you are a reader, every time you lie, you are a liar.
So what is it going to be? I guess my musing today is connected to last week’s, in the sense that we are still talking about productivity and the idea that as believers building healthy habits is pivotal. So many people are caught up in this productivity trend, yet so many believers feel they can lay back and have success infused into their lives. We are… therefore we do. We do, because we are.
If this was useful to you, like, share, comment your own outcome vs identity based scenario. Happy musing.
Be a blessing,
KellyPW
Kelly is the founder of Royalty Press United. Author of the Gemstone Royals fantasy series, Twist of Faith and Crossroads. Counseling psychologist, proud Grenadian and devoted follower of Christ.
