Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career by Herminia Ibarra

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to break away from the standard career path, and become something completely different? In Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career, Herminia Ibarra tackles this very notion by exploring topics such as creating an identity beyond the bounds of your occupation, transforming new behaviors into performance, and coming to terms with the risks involved in leaving your comfort zone.

In the introduction, Ibarra tackles the main problem she attempts to tackle - why it is difficult to reinvent oneself. She reveals that attempting to reinvent oneself comes with many risks. People are forced to leave the safety of their comfort zones, open themselves up to change, and undergo a significant identity crisis. However, as Ibarra points out, these changes can lead to tremendous new opportunities and growth if one has the courage to make them.

The first key step Ibarra details is to externally redefine your identity by reaching out to various people and resources. She emphasizes that it is important to understand the various aspects of your life and how they intersect to form the individual you are. By building relationships with new people and gaining exposure to ideas, interests, and networks, you are able to build a new identity. This is done by networking, volunteering, and exchanging ideas and experiences with people who are willing to take a chance on you and give you the space to grow and explore.

The second step is to develop your capacity to engage in new behaviors and performances. Ibarra focuses explicitly on experimentation and gaining new skills. Through preparing and engaging in new activities, people are able develop their capacity to perform and become comfortable in their new identity. Ibarra emphasizes that this is key in order to allow yourself to move into unfamiliar territory, grow, and let go of previous notions that may be holding you back.

The next step is to assess and mitigate the risks involved in reinventing oneself, whether it is from second-guessing yourself, being judged, or being stigmatized by those around you. Ibarra goes in depth on various ways that one may deal with these risks. She warns of the dangers of self-sabotage and other conscious, or subconscious, ways that one may cripple oneself by falling into their old patterns of comfort and limiting their growth. She emphasizes that this requires honest self-reflection, openness to feedback, and a willingness to be uncomfortable in order to push past the barriers within yourself and make the most out of the new experience you are undergoing.

Finally, Ibarra concludes by stressing the importance of having a sense of balance in order to manage the transitions. She emphasizes the concept of “rest-stretch cycles”, in which it is important to have the discipline to finish the activities or tasks that one is engaged in, but without pushing oneself beyond the limit. She warns that one must know when to take a break, and not become too stressed out or overworked.

Overall, Working Identity is a comprehensive and insightful book that provides readers with an in-depth look at the process of reinventing oneself and the risks involved. Ibarra highlights the importance of personal relationships, development of skills, and self-reflection in order to make the process of reinventing yourself as successful as possible. It is a valuable resource for anyone looking to take control of their life and pursue a unique and rewarding career path.