To question is to think. To think is to introspect. To introspect is to seek. To seek is to be aware. To be aware is when the journey begins.Who are you? Are you defined only by your position? Or your organisation? Or your family background? Or where you live? Or who are your friends? Or your success? Or your failures?

How important is your past, to define your future? Who are you?

This is not an existential question, but a practical one.

Identity is who and how we identify ourselves. If entrepreneurs worry about their past, they cannot “live this moment” well, and this would hurt their future possibilities too.

How does the world around you think about you? What does your team think of you? What do your co-founders/peers think of you? What do your board members think about you? What do your investors think of you? Does that perception change with varying business success?

Why identity matters

Primarily for self-validation.

Contrary to popular thinking that we worry about what others feel about us, our identity matters to our own judgment. Having no self-image can be just as challenging as the wrong one ! The concept of personal identity is one that defines a person as a unique individual based on certain values and beliefs.

What starts off with identity being influenced by family systems and moves to work ecosystem will move to the question, "Who am I really?"

For example, the founders’ identities have impact on their ideas and platforms. The founder is typically the carrier of brand identity and perceptions.

Why you do, what you do

Why are you in your current career role? Apart from the reason that you have to earn a livelihood or to create something positive.

Why are you running the project that you are handling? Is it fear of losing out in the corporate race or startup journey?

Or is it out of passion?

Most of these probing questions might provoke you into thinkiing about yourself and your decision-making process. In this journey, yet another thought might pop up: “What do I really want?”

Self-aware Founders

Successful startup founders and corporate leaders are generally those who solve their customers’ problems and address those need-gaps. This is possible because they are able to look deeply into consumer behaviour and try to “change the world”. Leaders in this cohort who sustain their career longevity are those who introspect and work on their self-development. Generally they would be open to external inputs, and they take accountability for their actions as well as inactions.

However, in order to ensure business or career success, are you putting your personal life and relationships at stake?

Is that what the “real you” wants?

If the venture or your project succeeds, it’s a wonderful feeling. However if it fails, do you take it personally?

It is observed that we might have a feeling of emptiness after a setback, or a monumental success (like selling a stake in your firm or even the entire business). Suddenly you have a sense of your identity. Your project/venture was your identity and vice versa, and that’s gone now.

In the startup world, you are the business, and the business is you. Founders’ sense of worth and identity is tied to their startup.

In a world which is looking for the next big action, announcement, achievement, accomplishment, a culture where we identify ourselves by what we do, being unsure of our place and purpose in the world can cause an identity crisis.

Many of us, including professionals, CXOs, founders often struggle with self-identity. It leads to stress and worries. It could end up clouding your judgement and your actual self-worth. Do you have such a feeling?

Then it’s time to get yourself a coach or mentor, and talk it out. Being self-aware is the way to grow and be happy.

– The author, Srinath Sridharan is a Corporate Adviser and Independent Markets Commentator. For other articles in the Coach Soch series, click here.