When performance gets personal: Towards a theory of performance-based identity
For better or worse, contemporary society places immense value on achievement and performance. What are the consequences of this emphasis on (if not obsession with) performance for people’s sense of self, and relatedly, their mental health and well-being? We develop a theoretical lens for exploring such questions by introducing the concept of performance-based identity—a form of identity that we propose arises when performance (at work or in another setting) becomes personally meaningful to the extent that it acts as a basis for self-definition. We argue that many individuals are likely to develop performance-based identities in a world where performance is increasingly emphasized as important, and where other identities (e.g. those derived from particular groups, organizations, and cultures) are being destabilized by fundamental shifts in the nature of work and society. We explain the similarities and differences between performance-based identity and related constructs, present a theoretical account of how people construct performance-based identities, and discuss how acknowledging and studying performance-based identities could yield valuable new insights into how people experience their work and life in general.