Sometimes you have to bring different parts of yourself to the front to succeed.

We’re all made up of different parts, shaped by how we grew up and what we’ve been through. The independent one. The complacent one. The vigilant one. The chilled-out one. Each is a slice of who you are.

Different roles and situations call for different parts.

At work, maybe the type-A driver is the best-suited. But you might also need the team player. Or the leader. Or the compassionate friend. And sometimes, the chilled-out, aloof part of you is just… not the right one for that room.

But at dinner with family and friends? Maybe that type-A operator doesn’t need a seat at the table. Maybe that part of you is better left at the office.

The power comes from noticing which part is leading and whether it actually fits the role you’re in.

I’m used to being highly independent, taking care of projects on my own. That independent persona works great in some contexts. But it’s not always the best for a job that really requires collaboration.

If your job suddenly needs you to be a mentor, but your “lone wolf executor” part keeps grabbing the wheel, you’re going to feel constant friction.

When the awareness is there, we have a choice:

• Who do I want to bring forward for this role?
• Which part of me is actually needed here?
• Who can I grow into, now that I’m being called into new territory?

That’s ours to decide.