Latest / The Talent Brief / Productivity Isn't an Identity
Transcript
- Jeff Ganter: Somewhere along the way, we stopped asking people who they are. We started asking what they do. I'm Jeff Gantor, and thanks for listening to the Talent Brief. It's one of the first questions we ask when meeting someone. So, what do you do? It sounds harmless. Most of the time it is. But I've started wondering what that question quietly teaches us. Because when our work becomes the quickest way to describe ourselves, I wonder how long it takes before our value starts feeling connected to our productivity. Think about how often we answer a simple question like, How are you? Busy? Swamped? Finally catching up. It's almost as if we've stopped describing ourselves. And start at describing our workload. And there's nothing wrong with working hard. There's meaning in good work. There can be joy in creating something, solving problems, caring for people, building a business, or contributing to something larger than ourselves. But I've noticed a different pattern. Somewhere along the way, productivity can stop being something we do. And quietly become part of who we believe we are. And maybe that's why rest can feel so uncomfortable. Not because we don't know how to slow down. Maybe it's because slowing down removes one of the ways we've learned to measure ourselves. The script sounds familiar. If I'm not producing, I'm falling behind. If I'm resting, I should be doing something. If I'm not busy, I'm wasting time. But underneath all of that, there may be a much quieter signal asking Who are you when there's nothing left to accomplish today? That's not an easy question. Because if part of our identity has been built around achievement, productivity, or being the reliable one, stillness doesn't just clear our schedule. It can reveal how much of our identity we've attached to what we produce. Maybe that's part of what makes semi-retirement so complicated. Or an empty nest. Or selling a business. Or changing careers. Or losing a title. Or simply taking a vacation without checking email. We tend to think those moments are about figuring out what comes next. But maybe there's another question underneath them. Who am I when I can no longer introduce myself the same way? The role changes, the accomplishments change. The amount we produce changes. But the person underneath all of it is still there. And maybe that's the person we haven't spent enough time getting to know. I've been sitting with that question myself. Because maybe productivity was never meant to tell us who we are. Maybe it's worth noticing how often we've asked it too. One last signal. What if the harder question isn't what you want to accomplish next? What if it's whether you know you are when there's nothing left to prove? And maybe even more importantly, do you still believe you're enough when there's nothing left to produce? Until next time, trust the signal question the script. See you soon. Bye.