What happens when your career becomes your whole identity?

Passion for our careers can drive us to achieve great things. But a laser focus on the job can become the only thing in our lives, edging out the personal goals, hobbies, and relationships that make us well-rounded human beings. 

My guest today, psychologist Dr. Janna Koretz, founded Azimuth Psychological to help individuals in high-pressure positions who experience career enmeshment: the complete entrenchment of their identities in their work. Dr. Koretz and I discuss the potential pitfalls of living for work and how recognizing and aligning with our values serves as a compass to help us remain passionate and committed without losing ourselves to our careers.

Dive into Dr. Koretz’s insightful take on career enmeshment, including:

• When single-minded passion for your work becomes problematic;
• What happens to your identity when your one-and-only focus is forced to shift;
• The inextricable interplay between values alignment and a satisfying career;
• Free tools that will help you name your values and start applying them purposefully.

Related Links:

• Harvard Business Review, “What Happens When Your Career Becomes Your Whole Identity” by Dr. Janna Koretz - https://hbr.org/2019/12/what-happens-when-your-career-becomes-your-whole-identity
• Harvard Business Review, “New Mothers, Let’s Talk About Your Professional Identity Crisis” by Dr. Janna Koretz - https://hbr.org/2020/08/new-mothers-lets-talk-about-professional-identity-crisis
• OSHA, Workplace Stress - https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress
• “Working Identity” by Herminia Ibarra - https://bookshop.org/p/books/working-identity-unconventional-strategies-for-reinventing-your-career-revised-herminia-ibarra/10709209
• Connect with Dr. Janna Koretz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkoretz/
• Connect with Azimuth on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/azimuth_psych
• Download Azimuth’s mindful journaling app - https://azimuthpsych.com/clearly
• Take Dr. Koretz’s Values Navigator quiz - https://azimuthpsych.com/values-navigator
• Take the Career Enmeshment Test - https://azimuthpsych.com/career-enmeshment-test
• LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelup
• Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/
• Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/