Who are you - in BUSINESS?
Over the next few weeks, Monday Meditations will be exploring our IDENTITY as Corpath members as we pursue excellence in business, life and spirit, and bring glory to God.
For those who may not know, my wife and I have two daughters. Today, the oldest is mid-twenties and the youngest is early twenties in age.
What a beautiful day it was when each of my daughters was born. Leading up to each of their very first birthday my wife and I would engage in the typical pre-parent dialogue. We had picked a couple of names for each of them - one for a boy and one for a girl. We spent time dreaming about what their life might be like as they grew up. When the day of their birth came, the process was fairly normal; we went to the hospital, the nurses prepared the room and the doctor helped with the delivery.
As soon as each of our daughters was delivered, they started receiving identities as the world would come to know them…
The doctor declared, “It’s a girl!”.
My wife and I called each of them by the name we had picked.
The nurses referred to them as “beautiful”.
As they entered the world, they began the process of building a life that would develop and be directed by the teachings, training, and disciplines of others.
I’m guessing the process was likely similar for all of us. We are born and then we start building a unique identity over a lifetime. Yet, at no time at birth did anyone declare what our profession would be. That would develop over time based on the choices we would make.
Q: What age were you when you started working in the career or industry you are in today?
In my work as an executive coach, I sometimes have “identity discussions” with my clients. In some cases, they have let their occupation or “business persona” become their identity, while forgetting who they are as a well-rounded person. Their value and self-worth are sometimes determined solely by the title they have in a corporation or the size of the business they have built and amassed. Then, as the job ends, or the business fails or is sold, their identity is lost. They are left pondering the question, “who am I now that I’m not doing this job?”. The struggle to regain their identity is real.
Most of us spend the most energetic, alert, and productive parts of each day working at a job. Over time, this can grow to become our “brand identity” if we let it. People refer to us as “that media guy” (for me), the CEO who runs that organization, or the executive who travels a lot for her role, etc., but in reality, we are much more than just the role we play in our occupation.
Building a strong identity in business requires you to develop and follow disciplines, and act consistently. Disciplines are like our own rules and guidelines that we have constructed to help us stay “on course” with what we strive to do and accomplish. However, our discipline development has influenced others as we grew into the business leaders we are today.
Hebrews 12:10-13 says, “For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” (NIV)
This passage gives credit to the earthly “fathers” that have helped influence and instruct us by sharing their personal experiences and stories, whether good or bad. Then, the passage goes on to explain the value of God’s discipline as He leads us. Establishing strong discipline is not fun at the time, but eventually leads to a harvest for those who are diligent.
Q: From a business perspective, what disciplines have you developed? How does your faith expression in business help build (or contribute to) your identity?
As Corpath members, each one of us is a leader in the field or industry we work in. We see leadership and business ownership as a noble calling that carries great responsibility as we strive to add Christian-faith values to everything we work at. And if we allow our business pursuits to be an expression of our commitment to Christ, then our identity perception will remain in check.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I praise you for creating all things, even me. You knit me together while in the womb and knew me long before my birth. I thank you for Your continued guidance of me as You teach me Your ways. I ask that you give me the strength to walk in Your ways each day as I work in the business You have led me to. I pray that my identity would be an honourable expression of who You are! Amen.
If you would like to continue exploring the topic of “Identity”, follow this link to see the video series “Identity Defined”, by Pete Driscoe. This series is part of your FREE subscription to RightNow Media at Work, as a Corpath member.
https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/content/details/267469
Blessings always and all-ways,
Steve Shrout
President
Special Note:
If you enjoyed today’s message, then share it with someone. Also, use this content and questions as a discussion guide in your next Forum Group meeting.
Attached to this email is a printable PDF you can use to help with your meditation and reflection. I encourage you to print it, answer the questions and then keep it in a Corpath binder or folder for future reference and thought. You will receive a new PDF each week with each new Monday Meditation, and, over time, your binder will become a book representing your Corpath journey of BUSINESS thoughts, personal LIFE development and SPIRITUAL growth.
