- It’s important to pay attention to what you build your identity around. A common mistake that people make is to believe that what they do equates to who they are. This misconception can create a giant roadblock when it comes to changing paths because it then poses the question, “who am I if I’m not x, y, or z?” The reality is that, clearly, you’re not what you do. Our identity is made up of so many different roles. And, much like our careers and relationships, our identities evolve as we do.
- In today’s episode, I dive deep into the concept of stripping one identity and evolving into another with Geoff Kullman. Geoff went from being a pastor to becoming an atheist and having to leave the Church and start a career from scratch. Religion had been a fundamental part of his entire life from growing up in the Church to majoring in biblical studies in university to working for a number of years as a pastor. It wasn’t until some life circumstances caused Geoff to begin questioning his own belief system and he eventually came to the conclusion that he no longer believed in God.
- Geoff’s story shines a lot of light on how we view our identities and how much more malleable we are than we think. There is a lot of courage in saying, “this doesn’t fit me anymore and I want to try something else”.
- We talk all about how Geoff had to stand on stage and tell his congregation that he couldn’t lead them anymore because he was an atheist (talk about scary!), how he navigated his family relationships after such a major shift, and how he figured out what he should do when he started over.
- In under 3 years, Geoff has created a successful copywriting business helping companies attract, convert, and retain more customers. His story is so fascinating and really helps dispel a lot of the fears we all hold about pivoting.
Here is what we chat about in this episode:
- Why you have to live with integrity to yourself.
- How, even though it’s hard, the freedom on the other side is worth it.
- How there’s always an opportunity to re-invent yourself.
- And so much more!
Where to find Geoff: