What Defines You?

I think many of us try to put things in our life in a box, define that thing in our own way and call it good.

Then we can pull that thing out of our box when we need it and show it off and prove to those around us that we meet their standards or we are as good as they are or whatever. Then we put our thing away, back in it’s box and move on to the next box. I do it, you do it too.  What is it that makes us think we can live like this?

We are all so radically different, sometimes in subtle ways, yet we tend to think we have to fit a preconceived mold defined by the world around us and the circles we run in.

• Who are we?
• Who are you?
• Who am I?

Consider this, when 2 men meet and find themselves in a situation where they have to interact, one of the first questions is one of the following:

• What do you do?
• Where do you work?

The question is never:

• What’s important to you?
• What are you passionate about?
• What defines you?

However, it seems like that is the question that we are answering when we talk about our work.  We are essentially experts when it comes to our job, but is that where our passions lie? Is that what’s important to you?  Is that what defines who you are?  Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t.

I do know that if I’m able to really talk to people and dig just under the surface, whether it’s at work or otherwise, so many of them will indicate that this isn’t where they want to be.  They have big dreams and one of these days, they’re going to figure out how to make it happen.  I’ve started asking what’s holding them back and there are legitimate reasons:

• family
• money
• time
• fill in the blank …….

I’ve asked myself that same question, probably more than I care to admit.

• What’s holding me back?

My job does not define me but it is where I need to be for right now.   I think I have been in the process of redefining who I am and where my passions lie, so I really can’t answer the question of what defines me.  What about you:

What defines you?