For years, I led in healthcare.
At one point I was responsible for a multi-specialty surgical practice. Dozens of staff. Fifteen providers. Millions in revenue every month.
I was good at it. I had the performance reviews to prove it.
What I didn't notice, over all those years, was that my sense of who I was had quietly grown into what I did. My title. My results. The role I carried. Without ever deciding to, I had let my identity take root in my accomplishments.
Then, after twelve years and one of the best reviews of my career, I was laid off.