Why You're More Than Your Title

"Mom, manager, model, or maverick? Which are you? You may be all of these-or none of these. The problem starts when you believe that a title defines you.When that title changes, your self-worth and inner compass can disappear with it-or even induce crisis. That's the identity trap. Social media nudges us closer. Every post you send or every image you curate invites comparison and approval-seeking."

"At my 40-year school reunion, I expected judgment and social comparison. Instead, nobody interrogated the intervening years. It was a level playing field. Why? Because everyone's memory and mindset returned to an era where the only title anyone held was "student." We were more likely to be judged on our 1980s fashion sense, intellect, and popularity than on a label."

"Ironically, years after leaving corporate life, my big title evaporated with it. The hardest question was "What do you do?" As long as my work title dominated my headspace and social circle, I had forgotten to invest in other titles. I hadn't valued or protected them enough. Fast-forward eight years. Like a magpie, I've curated several new professional titles-adjunct professor, author, chair-but also personal ones, especially carer for my mother, who is living with dementia."

Title fixation erodes confidence, self-esteem and a stable sense of self. Social media amplifies comparison and approval-seeking, increasing vulnerability when external labels change. Contingent self-worth ties identity to promotions, reviews, and social metrics. Building multiple professional and personal roles creates resilience and buffers against identity loss. Time and shared pasts can flatten title hierarchies and reveal other valued attributes. Losing a dominant work title exposes neglected identities and forces reevaluation. Curating new roles—academic posts, authorship, caregiving—can restore purpose. Choosing substance over optics and investing in diverse identities offers an antidote to the identity trap.

Read at Psychology Today