Who Are You Without Your Job Title?

Reclaiming self-worth in a world obsessed with productivity

Eleven years ago, I read an article that changed me. It was titled "The Disease of Being Busy" by Omid Safi. In it, he discusses how we live in a world where everyone is always rushing and doing, but rarely just being. One line has stayed with me ever since: 

“Tell me you remember you are still a human being, not just a human doing.” 

This statement deeply resonated with me back then, and still does now, highlighting how much we tie our value to our productivity. We exist in a fast-paced world that rewards output and measures our worth by what we produce, earn, or achieve. In such an environment, not having a job or appearing “productive” can feel like fading into the background, like becoming invisible.

However, I've been learning—and re-learning—that my value is not defined by what I do. It doesn’t reside in the titles I’ve held, the roles I’ve lost, or the emails that never arrived. My value exists in my breath, my softness, my longing, and my ability to try again.

There have been days when rejection emails came in like waves: cold, steady, and uninvited. I questioned everything, not just my experience but my worth as well. Yet, beneath the doubt, I found something gentle. A voice, faint at first, that said: You are more than this.

Yes, my work matters to me. Yes, I’ve studied, invested, and grown. But I am not just the sum of my productivity. Truly believing this has helped me soften the impact of every “no.” It has allowed me to survive the waiting and remain whole. As writer Hannah Braime writes in her article, "How to Detach Self-Worth from Productivity": 

“When you believe your worth is dependent on how much you achieve, you're setting yourself up for a constant cycle of not-enoughness.”

And she is right. The voice inside saying, “You’re falling behind,” or “You’re not doing enough” does not reflect reality; it reflects the systems we've internalized.

I began to ask myself:  Who am I without a job title?  Who am I when I stop trying to prove myself? 
The answers to these questions come and go. Some days, clarity shines through like sunlight filtering through the window: warm, honest, momentary. Other days, fear knocks at my chest, wearing many masks: urgency, shame, comparison. But I speak to it softly: “If you're going to walk with me, at least let me breathe.” On some days, it listens. On those days, I feel more like myself and less like the fear. And that, in itself, is a kind of grace.

We don’t ask these questions enough, though they are vital, especially for those in transition, for migrants navigating new beginnings, or anyone who has ever felt their worth was in question simply because they were between jobs.

Unlearning the belief that our worth is tied to productivity is challenging, especially when modern life constantly reinforces it. But it is possible, and it begins by asking different questions: Who am I when I’m not performing? What brings me joy that is unrelated to outcomes? 

The truth is, job searching is a deeply vulnerable process. It tests your resilience, identity, and emotional well-being. Yet, it also presents an opportunity to remember who you are outside of titles, resumes, and roles.

Here’s what I know now: I am not my LinkedIn profile. I am not defined by the number of interviews I've passed or failed. I am not a failure because I am in a transition. I am not behind. 
I am breathing. I am learning to be kind to myself. I am returning—again and again—to what is real. 

So, if you are reading this while in between jobs, or in between versions of yourself, please remember:
You are not behind.
You are not failing.
You are simply becoming.
And that matters more than anything you could ever put on a CV.