Bounded by identity
Last week, two different newsletter email, from two different creators, talking about the same topic.
Bounded by identity.
One felt "teacher" is his identity. His contents are created to teach. But lately he feel lost. The routine no longer gives him joy. It became repetitive. As he dug deeper, he realized it's not the teaching, but the process of creation. He enjoyed the process of creating. Not teaching. He's been doing it because his identity as a teacher bound him. Until it no longer give him joy.
The second creator went back after being away for awhile. Same story, same context. Content creation felt repetitive, no longer give him joy. Even when it made him a high-income earner. Not my word, his.
It's not that being consistent is bad. No. Consistent is good.
Being bounded by identity, or label, is not.
"I don't know all that hi-tech jargon. I'm dumb"
"My daughter is like that. I can't talk to her. She's stubborn"
"I've been collecting this for ages. I can't stop, I'm a collector"
"I'm a failure, that's why it's hard for me to success"
I label myself too.
- I graduated with a bachelor in graphic design. I'm a graphic designer.
- I like designer toys. I'm a designer toy enthusiast.
- I like not only designer toys. I'm a toy collector.
- I take nice photos of my toys. I'm a toy photographer.
- I blog about toys. I'm a toy blogger.
- I create a small batch of designer toys. I'm a toy artist.
- I no longer enjoy toys. I'm a.. wait, what?
Labels are everywhere. We often didn't realize, that we became bounded by it. If it's no longer give us joy. If it's no longer fun. If it's no longer us.
Can we let it go?
Nowadays I just do what I felt like. I dip in the water. If it's too hot or too cold, I'll go out. If it's nice, I'll go in deeper. If it became to deep, I'll stop and float there.
A friend recently state that I'm the most inconsistent person he ever knew. We even came up with a tag line.
"Consistent to be inconsistent"
I like it.