Shifting from a Performance-Based Identity to a Purpose-Based Identity
Read Time: 3 mins
After decades of working life, many people find themselves at a crossroads. You may have spent years focused on achievement — hitting KPIs, meeting deadlines, climbing the corporate ladder, and driving profit for the organisation. Your self-worth has likely been tied to how well you perform and what you achieve. But as you enter the later stages of your career, you might start to question whether that’s enough.
It could be a health scare that shifts your perspective. Perhaps you’re feeling the pull to spend more time with family or travel more. Or maybe you’ve simply realised that you don’t want to work as many hours anymore. Whatever the reason, you may find yourself wondering: What happens when my sense of self-worth is no longer tied to my job performance?
This shift — from a performance-based identity to a purpose-based identity — is a key theme in Dr Michael Gervais’s work as a high-performance psychologist. Gervais explains that many people in high-performing roles build their identity around what they do and how well they do it. But when the motivation to chase external achievements fades, or those achievements are no longer available, it can leave you feeling directionless and uncertain about your value.
Why a Performance-Based Identity Can Become Limiting
A performance-based identity is built around the idea that you are what you achieve. If you’ve spent years defining your success through external measures — salary, promotions, recognition — it’s natural to feel uncertain when those measures are no longer the focus.
Gervais points out that this type of identity is deeply embedded in Western work culture. Performance and competition are prioritised from early on — in school, sports, and especially in the workplace. As a result, many high-performing professionals derive their sense of self-worth from how well they perform relative to others.
The problem is that performance-based identity is fragile. Your self-worth becomes conditional — it depends on outcomes you can’t always control. If you fail to meet a goal or the company faces a downturn, your confidence and sense of value can take a hit.
The Shift to a Purpose-Based Identity
Gervais argues that the solution isn’t to stop caring about success — it’s to shift the foundation of your identity from performance to purpose. A purpose-based identity is defined by why you do what you do rather than how well you do it.
This shift allows you to:
- Find value in the process, not just the outcome.
- Maintain a sense of worth even when professional success fluctuates.
- Focus on deeper fulfilment rather than external validation.
A purpose-based identity helps you redefine success. For example, instead of focusing on the number of deals closed or the size of your bonus, success might become about making a positive impact on your team, mentoring others, or contributing to a meaningful cause.
How to Transition to a Purpose-Based Identity
Making this shift isn’t easy, especially if you’ve spent decades measuring success by performance. But Gervais outlines some practical steps that can help:
- Define Your Purpose
Start by reflecting on what matters most to you beyond work. What values do you want to live by? What kind of impact do you want to have on others? Your purpose might be grounded in relationships, creativity, personal growth, or giving back. - Separate Performance from Self-Worth
Recognise that your performance at work doesn’t define your value as a person. Success and setbacks are part of life, but they don’t determine your worth. - Practice Self-Coaching
Gervais highlights the importance of developing an internal voice that supports and encourages you — much like a trusted coach. When you encounter setbacks or self-doubt, ask yourself: What would a supportive coach say to me right now? - Shift to Intrinsic Motivation
Rather than relying on external validation, focus on internal motivation. Find fulfilment in the work itself, not just the outcome. - Create New Success Metrics
Redefine success in a way that aligns with your purpose. Success might mean contributing to your team’s development, having more balanced working hours, or feeling more connected to your family.
Why This Matters in the Later Stages of Your Career
As you move into the later stages of your career, the pressure to achieve may naturally decrease. But this creates an opportunity to re-evaluate how you define success and where you draw self-worth. Shifting from a performance-based identity to a purpose-based identity allows you to feel more grounded and fulfilled — even if you’re no longer hitting the same professional milestones.
Career coaching can support this transition. Working with a career coach can help you clarify your values, uncover your deeper purpose, and build a more sustainable and fulfilling professional identity. The goal isn’t to stop caring about success — it’s to redefine success in a way that reflects who you are today, not just what you’ve achieved in the past.
