From Scores to Self: Ditch Performance Identity and Grow

Our identity is shaped by more than just our performances. It's rooted in our values and beliefs, guiding us through life with clarity and purpose. Embracing this holistic view helps us shift from fixed mindsets to a growth-oriented perspective, enabling true self-awareness and fulfillment.

Identity is our subjective sense of self. Subjective in that it is based on things like personal feelings, experiences, and values. It’s a framework through which we experience the world around us that is unique to us. 

According to authors Michael Gervais and Kevin Lake, “When our identity is linked to performance, the quality of our performance defines who we are.” If the world of “if-then” dominates our lives, we end up in an endless loop of searching for our worth. Gervais goes on to say that, “performance-based identity is defined by three factors - a contingent self-worth, a looming fear of failure, and perfectionism.”

Let’s put this in the context of education. A student is not simply the sum of their test scores. Future success is not simply a derivative of the number of points they score on the court or the chair they sit in band class. Those performance based evaluations are simply an expression of where they are at the moment. It isn’t a representation of who they are.

A lack of clarity regarding what we really identify with and the values we hold creates confusion. Over time, that lack of clarity manifests itself in fixed mindsets and unhelpful biases. Like a fish that doesn’t know they’re wet, we become numb to its impact and blind to our purpose.

We need to begin seeing the world differently through a new set of lenses. Update your prescription. Recognize that your identity is more complex than just your most recent set of performances. Those are simply benchmarks of growth, for where you are right now isn’t the end. All of us are “in progress".

So, what are we to do? How can we make that mindset shift? 

Start with your values. Core values are your basic beliefs and guiding principles that dictate behavior. Integrity begins with articulating what you value and aligning your actions to them. What are yours? If you were to ask others what your core values were, would they say the same thing based on your actions? What behavior changes need to occur to create more alignment between the two?

“It’s important to recognize that who we are at this moment is not the end point for who we are becoming.” So, focus on shifting from fixed mindsets sets of the past to an orientation of growth in the present.  Like tending a beautiful garden, this means planting some new things and weeding out others. 

Reflect on your core values and align your actions with them. Start today by recognizing that your worth is not tied to your achievements, but to the principles you live by. Embrace the journey of growth and rediscover your true purpose as a leader. Those you lead and teach are counting on you to guide them!