The Identity Model of Change - The key to healthy habit formation

If you care about personal growth, this concept is one of the most important to grasp. It is also the main idea in the international bestseller "Atomic Habits."

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At the end of the day, personal growth is all about behavior change. 

People want to stop the behaviors that hold them back and amplify the behaviors that move their lives, relationships and businesses forward. 

Sustainable behavior change is all about creating new habits. Positive habits are repeated behaviors that we commit to intentionally.

Ever wondered why some people seem to grow consistently and make positive changes while others struggle? 

It’s because they understand that habit formation is about so much more than setting the right goals and willpower. 

The secret to habit formation goes beyond strategy and tactics; it lies in our identity. Our identity is who we know ourselves to be. Our sense of self shapes our behavior more than anything else. 

This is why the “Identity Model of Change” is one of the most important concepts to understand if we care about personal growth. 

What did the father of modern psychology believe about identity? 

To understand the process of change, let's draw on some wisdom from William James, the father of modern psychology. In a famous lecture he gave towards the end of his career where he was summarizing his work, James famously said… 

“At the end of the day, people will do the things that align with who they think they are.” 

This simple, yet profound insight speaks to the foundation of the Identity Model of Change. Who we think we are determines what we do.

You might be saying to yourself, “ok, so what do I do with that?”

Here’s how we put our identity to work for us. 

Understanding the Identity Model of Change - The Three Layers 

The core premise of the Identity Model of Change is that sustainable habit formation starts with our sense of self. To make real, lasting changes, we need to begin by focusing on who we are, who we want to become and not just what we want to achieve (goals).

I like how James Clear breaks it down in his international best seller, Atomic Habits. He says that behavior change has three layers, like an onion: outcomes, processes and identity. 

Source: Atomic Habits: Chapter 2

1. Outcomes: The outermost layer, focused on results and goals (e.g.,publishing a book, having a happy marriage).

2. Processes: The middle layer, concerned with changing behaviors, strategies and tactics (e.g., writing first thing in the morning, having a weekly date night).

3. Identity: The innermost layer, where change is most profound and enduring. This layer involves changing our beliefs, refining our self-image, and checking unconscious assumptions about ourselves and the world.

Most of us start by focusing on outcomes, setting goals like “I want to get fit” or “I want to write a novel.” While these goals are important, they often overlook the deeper identity changes needed for lasting success. Instead, we should start by asking questions about ourselves…

“What personal value of mine is being expressed in working towards this goal”

“Who is the type of person that can achieve these outcomes?”

“What limiting beliefs do I have about myself and my ability to achieve this goal?”

This is how we start to construct a deeper connection with the identity that will drive the type of sustainable action we want. 

How to construct an “empowered identity” - The key to sustainable success.

Once you have accepted identity as the force multiplier of behavior change, we need to start doing the work to articulate it on purpose. 

Most philosophers agree that our sense of self is constructed of three attributes; Attitudes, Beliefs and Values.

Here are three steps to connect with the empowered sense of self more directly. The sense of self that is going to drive us towards our goals. 

1. Articulate core values 

2. Identify limiting beliefs

3. Connect with purpose - “find your why” 

- Articulate core values

Our values are what we believe to be important, meaningful and good in the world.

They are our personal code of conduct. “To be me, I must express these.”

When we are conscious of our values, we are more capable of taking aligned action.

On the flip side, we are also more capable of identifying behavior that is out of integrity with our values.

Start by answering the following question and creating a list of your core values. 

* What values are essential to my life?


* What values represent my primary way of being?


* What values are essential to supporting my inner self?


Create a list of 5-10 and try to organize them in an acronym that is easy to remember. 

Once we are clear on our core values, each positive action we take becomes evidence for this personal value being true, which reinforces the behavior happening again. 

- Identify limiting beliefs

When it comes to changing our behavior and creating habits, there is no amount of strategy or willpower that can make up for unconscious, limiting beliefs about ourselves. 

This is another important idea from James Clear in Atomic Habits, “Maybe you can trick yourself into going to the gym or eating healthy once or twice, but if you don't shift your underlying identity, then it's hard to stick with long-term changes.”

If we are harboring unconscious limiting beliefs about ourselves, they will hijack our ability to implement strategies and show up as our best selves.

Our identity is constructed of the beliefs we have about who we are, what we’re capable of and how we think others perceive us. Colloquially, our identity is the answer to this question; “Who am I, how do others perceive me and what am I capable of?”

Here are some of the most common limiting beliefs that I see as a Leadership coach…

• I’m not good enough

• I can’t be the real me or I’ll be judged…or abandoned.

• I’m too old or too young

• I don’t have enough time or money 

• I’m not smart enough

• I don’t have enough experience

• I’ll never be successful

• I’ll never have enough money

• I’ll never be one of the best

• I’m not talented enough

• I’ll never be a great leader

To overcome these limiting beliefs, there are a few simple steps that you can follow. 

• Make a list of every limiting belief that you have about yourself as it pertains to the goal/outcome you are focused on. Simply being aware of the unconscious stories and limiting beliefs is the first step to shifting them. 

• Track them - watch your mind and take a mental note whenever they come up, noticing how long this story is impacting your contact with reality. 

• Integrate the story using “The Work” by Byron Katie. I have another post that breaks down the 4 questions process that we can use to take the charge out of these stories and come back to presence. 

- Connect to purpose

A clear connection to our purpose is one of the most sustainable sources of motivation available to us. It is also a novel way to consider identity. I will often tell my clients that in addition to beliefs and values, we can define ourselves by what we are committed to. That could be a business, relationship or community. 

If we have a goal/outcome in mind, connecting it to some deeper purpose is going to sustain our motivation to show up fully for the process.

Think about purpose in the context of business, Simon Sinek famously said that “people don’t care what you do, they care why you do it.”

Funny enough, it seems we don’t really care what we want to do, we care about why we want to do those things. 

Purpose is committing to the service of something greater than the self. It is the most powerful source of motivation that we have.

This is supported by Maslow’s amended hierarchy of needs, which has transcendence on top of self-actualization as the pinnacle of human motivation.  

For example, It is one thing to aspire for a healthier diet and consistent exercise to feel healthy. How much more inspiring is it to commit to a healthy diet and exercise because I want to be a present grandparent who can support my kids and play with my grandkids. 

So, if you are working towards an important outcome, articulate the “why?” Why is it important, who will it impact and see how it improves the motivation to do what you need to do.  

Reinforce the “empowered identity” with small wins. 

Once we have constructed an empowered identity, we need to take action to reinforce the new identity and show ourselves that it is true. While it is important to construct the concept of self, we can also define ourselves through our actions; past, present and future.  I will often say that “we are everything we have ever done, everything we are doing right now and everything we will ever do.”

We can't simply think ourselves into being the person we want to be; it requires action.

Fortunately, we can make our action more strategic. Once we are clear on the goal or outcome we would like to achieve, we should break it down into smaller tasks that we can achieve on a shorter timeline. This will give us the sensation of achieving small wins more frequently. With each win, we reinforce the new identity and make it more likely that we will continue to express the desired behavior until it becomes a habit. 

Some Examples of small wins that make it easier to reinforce the new identity.

 

• Health and Fitness:

  • Goal: “I want to lose 20 pounds.”

  • Identity: “I am a person who values my health and moves my body every day.”

  • Action: Start with a daily walk, gradually increasing the distance.

• Writing and Creativity:

  • Goal: “I want to write a novel.”

  • Identity: “I am a writer who writes daily.”

  • Action: Set aside 15 minutes each day to write, no matter what.

• Strength and Fitness:

  • Goal: “I want to bench press 200 pounds.”

  • Identity: “I am someone who never misses a workout.”

  • Action: Establish a consistent workout routine, focusing on small, regular improvements.

• Building Relationships:

  • Old Approach: “I want to make more friends.”

  • Identity Approach: “I am a person who is always there for my friends.”

  • Action: Reach out to one friend each week for a catch-up call.

• Professionalism:

  • Goal: “I want to be promoted at work.”

  • Identity: “I am a reliable and punctual professional.”

  • Action: Arrive early to meetings and consistently meet deadlines.

Identity Matters More Than Outcomes

Focusing on identity rather than outcomes addresses the root cause of why we struggle with change. When we merely aim for outcomes, we’re trying to force our current self into a new mold. This approach often leads to burnout and frustration because it doesn’t align with our self-perception.

By contrast, when we shift our identity, our behaviors naturally follow. We start to act in ways that are consistent with our new self-image. This alignment makes our new habits feel more natural and less forced, leading to sustainable change.

If we want to make lasting changes in our lives, we need to start from within. By embracing the identity model of change, we can create a strong foundation for sustainable transformation. It’s not just about achieving specific goals but about becoming the type of person who naturally achieves those goals.

Let’s redefine who we are and take small, consistent steps to prove this new identity to ourselves. The results will follow, and the journey will feel more aligned and fulfilling.