Most people lead with a label when they meet someone new.
“I’m a Republican.” “I’m a founder.” “I’m from California.”
And none of those things are wrong. But they might be revealing something you haven’t thought carefully about, because the thing you lead with externally usually reflects what you believe is most important about you internally.
In this video I break down why humans default to tribal thinking, why social media has made it worse, and how to build an identity that’s bigger than your labels.
I also introduce a framework I call the Identity Stack… a simple three-layer model for thinking about who you actually are versus how you’ve been conditioned to present yourself.
What this video covers:
— Why tribal thinking is wired into us and what the science says
— The difference between inward-facing and outward-facing identity
— The Identity Stack and how to build your sense of self from the inside out
— Why leading with labels pushes people away before they even know you
— How to lead with values, curiosity, and contribution instead
This idea was shaped in part by my late father, Dr. Ron Miller, a scholar of comparative religion who spent decades teaching, including a concept he called the House of Consciousness. You can learn more about his work at ronmillersworld.org.