When identity and career are too closely linked, professional struggles feel like personal failures. A bad day at work becomes a bad day as a person. A missed promotion feels like proof of inadequacy. But work will ALWAYS have ups and downs and if your self-worth is entirely dependent on career success, then you're setting yourself up for constant stress and frustration.
Burnout often happens when people push themselves to prove their worth through work. If every achievement is tied to identity, the pressure never ends. No amount of success feels like enough because the stakes are too high. It's not just about doing well at work; it feels like proving personal value. This can leave you exhausted, anxious and unable to truly enjoy your achievements.
A career should be something that adds to your life, not something that defines it. When you separate self-worth from job performance, setbacks become easier to handle. Losing a job or choosing a different path then no longer feels like losing your value. It just means you’re adjusting and moving forward.