I used to obsess over goals — income goals, fitness goals, writing goals, and relationship goals. The problem wasn’t my ambition; it was my identity. When I learned how to change my identity, I became unstoppable, and achieving my goals became way easier.
Every year, you set goals and feel motivated for a week or two. “This is the year I’m going to change my life finally.” Then, life happens, and you get back to your old self. You won’t achieve your goals that way because you are only thinking about the outcome, without changing the identity. Your old habits and mindset keep you the same.
The core shift you must make is from goal-setting to identity-formation. The truth is that goals focus on outcomes. But growth comes from identity.
You don’t rise to your goals. You fall to your identity.
Read that again!
The problem with traditional goal-setting
Most people set goals and work hard to achieve them. And once they are successful, the motivation drops. They relapse into old habits. Then, they chase the next target without internal change. That might seem like a success, but it won’t help you make a life-altering transformation.
Goals don’t change your behavior. For instance, wanting to “write a book” doesn’t make you a writer. Or wanting to “get fit” doesn’t make you disciplined. Desire doesn’t lead to action. Identity does.
Setting goals increases pressure instead of progress. It creates an outcome obsession, which leads to anxiety. You measure yourself by results, and when you don’t see them, you feel like a failure. There is no real progress for change.
If you’ve failed to achieve your goals before, it’s not because you lack ambition. It’s because you tried to change outcomes without changing yourself.
The identity shift
When you set a goal, you ask, “What do I want?” You make a list of things and start working towards them. However, the real question should be, “Who do I need to become?” That’s identity-based change, which is necessary for you to get results more quickly (and more effectively).
- Wrong: I want to make $10,000/month.
- Right: I want to become someone who creates consistent value.
- Wrong: I want to lose 10 kg.
- Right: I want to become someone who doesn’t negotiate with workouts.
- Wrong: I want to grow on social media.
- Right: I want to become someone who publishes consistently.
Try this:
Pick one goal that is the most important to you. Then, rewrite it as an identity statement.
Align your behavior with your identity. That way, you don’t rely on motivation. You act because this is who you are.
Four years ago, I made a major shift in my identity that has helped me achieve massive results. I wanted to write online, help creators, and build a writing business. But the problem was I kept telling myself, “I want to become a writer.” In my bio, I wrote that I was an “aspiring” writer.
I learned about identity-shifting and how it helps achieve your desires more quickly. Then, I stopped calling myself an aspiring writer. I changed my bio immediately to “writer.” I started calling myself a writer because that’s who I had to become to achieve my writing goals. Then, my actions aligned with it too. What does a writer do? What does their daily schedule look like? I did what a writer does to become one.
How to become what you want to achieve
Identity shift might seem confusing at first. However, with a few easy steps, you can learn this life-altering strategy to achieve your goals.
Step 1: Define the identity clearly
- What does this person do daily?
- How do they think?
- What do they tolerate?
- What do they refuse to tolerate?
Write three to five identity traits. For example, if you want to become a content creator, write:
- I publish weekly.
- I don’t delete drafts out of fear.
- I improve something every day.
Step 2: Build micro-proof daily
You don’t have to go big straight away. Tiny actions daily can help you make an identity shift and slowly tap into a new one.
Do the smallest action that reinforces your new identity. For example, write 200 words daily, do 10 pushups, or post once per week, no matter what.
Remember, small wins matter more than big intentions. As you move forward, focus on continuous improvements. Increase the reps, experiment with ideas, and slowly grow into your new identity.
Step 3: Stop announcing goals. Start showing habits.
Less talking; more doing. Let your actions speak.
Do this: Write down your goals first. Make a list of things you want to achieve. That’s okay. Furthermore, write down the same goals as if you were already someone who has achieved them. Then, practice becoming that person every day.
Step 4: Track identity, not just results
Instead of asking, “Did I hit my target?” Ask, “Did I act like the person I’m becoming today?” You can create a Yes/No daily checklist if that helps. Reflect on your behavior every week. That’ll help you keep track of your path.
Conclusion
You don’t achieve success and then become disciplined. You become disciplined, and success follows. You don’t achieve confidence and then act. You act, and confidence grows.
Your identity helps you do the things necessary to achieve your goals. If you look at the outcome first, you will never become the person who achieves what they want. You will only focus on getting that thing.
Start building the person who naturally produces the outcomes you desire.
Hi, I’m Biliz.
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