Hey there fellow Apprentices,
In this week’s piece I’m going to explore those pesky labels we use everyday to give others a very limited view of our limitless self.
As a multipotentialite who loves learning new skills all the time, this is a topic that hits a little close to home. For the answer to “what do you do?” seems to always require an essay length response to capture anything close to the countless projects I’m working on. Writer? Yeah, partly. Coach? Yeah, partly. Consultant? Yeah, partly. Anything else? Yeah there’s x, y & z thing too…
If you’ve ever felt a similar way, this piece is for you. It’s three simple alternatives I’ve learnt to describe yourself as a human being in a world that demands we simplify so that others can generalise who we are.
You are not general. You are unique. So, embrace it.
Introduction
Labels, labels, labels… We use them all the time to make sense of this chaotic world that swirls around us. Pointing out that that’s obviously a cat. And that’s a dog. And he’s a banker. And she’s a doctor.
Which is awfully convenient for describing something or someone.
For you and I are both visualising the same tree… Right? The one with the long brown trunk and the cloud-like green leaves that we always drew back in Kindergarten when our biggest concern was which colour crayon to use.
One that looks like this…
Ok, sweet. You understood what I was trying to convey.
But, you see this ain’t the only kind of tree that blesses our beautiful planet of Earth. For there are over 60,000 species out there in the wild. Everything from the weeping willow to the silver birch to the giant sequoia.
But, I’m going to bet this isn’t what you imagined.
Which therein lies the problem of labels. They oversimplify the complexity of existence and handicap our imagination. We become victims to their simplification, visualising the same single possibility in an infinite world.
And how is this relevant? Well I’m glad you asked (or didn’t)…
For if you switch out the label of tree for one closer to home like a “writer”, “marketer” or “consultant” a single image will still come to your mind. And it will be equally limited by your own experiences.
Which is a problem…
Because this one label we use to quickly convey who we are to every new person we meet instantly defines our first impression. In one moment you’re a stranger full of endless possibilities. The next you’re a [ insert label ] that can defined in a nice neat looking box with a bow on-top.
Your limitless potential has become shoehorned into a very limited word.
So, let’s explore how to transcend the labels.
Speak Your Vision
There’s a big wide world out there.
With an infinite number of roles that would enjoy in equal amounts across a wide range of industries with a plethora of different people.
So, instead of speaking about what you do right now…
Explain where you’re going and the impact you want to make on those around you. Find that one cause that unites every activity you’ve ever enjoyed doing and describe it in a single sentence.
Which could be…
Sharing the stories of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Preventing the climate emergency by limiting global warming to 1.5C.
Equipping 1 billion people with the mental fitness to navigate happiness.
Or any of the other million reasons to get fired up.
Once you’ve articulated your personal vision, reframe the labels you currently use as a means to the end of moving you one step closer that vision.
For sharing stories can take countless forms, whether it be writing a novel, painting a masterpiece or even filming a documentary.
All of which contribute to the same vision.
Thereby enabling you to transcend a singular label in pursuit of a change you want to see in the world and the endless means to achieve it.
Broaden Your Definition
Labels are only as restrictive as they are specific. The nicher their definition, the narrower your room to manoeuvre is.
But, zoom out and you’ll soon find there’s a bigger box you can play in. One with infinitely more opportunity for expression.
Here’s just a few examples:
Every runner is also an athlete.
Every painter is also a creative.
Every business owner is also an entrepreneur.
Embrace the broader definition and you’ll open yourself to different yet concurrent opportunities to express yourself.
Soon enough you’ll realise that skills from one part of your life can quickly be applied to another. That 20-week training plan you followed for a marathon last year has the same principles as the one you’re looking at for skiing in Jan.
Because it’s the same human with the same brain, body and mind. The only difference is that it’s applied in a new way.
So, look for the golden threads. Zoom out. And define yourself broader.
You’ll soon find new opportunities come right at you.
Reinvent Yourself
We’re constantly changing.
The person who celebrated the New Year watching fireworks with their closest friends is not the same one reading this article today.
You discover new things to enjoy. You let go of old hobbies. And you constantly learn and grow as the beautiful human being you are.
Which means you’re not the same person you used to be.
And that you’re (more than) allowed to redefine how you spend your time and the labels you embrace as a consequence.
Just don’t expect other people to embrace the new you immediately.
For it will take them a while to evolve their perception of you from the person they’ve known forever into this new version of yourself.
Be patient. Keep reminding them. Eventually it’ll stick.
Conclusion
Labels have their uses. And also their limitations. Use them to quickly convey who you are, but never fall victim to their definitions. For they are a mask that you wear to fit in with others, but do not represent the true self that looks on from behind. So, never lose yourself in the identities you embrace and remember that when context changes you can wear a completely different label instead.
But, what are your thoughts? Do you find labels are limiting? And if so, how do you navigate them & express your full self to others?
Agreed, mate. A big problem I have with labels:
They cause you to unconciously adopt beliefs that you don't really believe. I've seen this with many Americans over the past 7 years:
"Oh I'm a Democart."
"I'm a republican"
Soon, they've adopted the whole party cannon without thinking for themselves.