How Your Identity Shapes Success
Most people think success is about effort. They believe that if they work harder, they’ll achieve more. But what if success isn’t just about effort, but who you believe you are?
Anthony Trucks, a former NFL player turned entrepreneur, learned this lesson firsthand. After leaving football, he struggled to find his way in business. The structured world of professional sports was gone, and he had to redefine himself to succeed in a new game.
In this episode, Anthony shares how identity shifts help people move forward. He explains why many professionals get stuck in patterns, how ego holds them back, and the role of dark work—the unseen discipline that leads to long-term results.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or business owner, Anthony’s insights will change the way you think about success. Anthony is also the author of Identity Shift: Upgrade How You Operate to Elevate Your Life.
The Hardest Shift: From the NFL to Business
Athletes thrive in structured environments. Their schedules are set, their goals are clear, and their performance is constantly measured.
When Anthony left football, he realized something: he knew how to work hard, but he didn’t know how to create his own structure.
“In the NFL, someone tells you where to be, what to do, and how to win. In business, no one’s telling you anything. You have to create your own playbook.”
The Big Challenge: Losing an Old Identity
When athletes, entrepreneurs, or professionals leave behind something they’ve done for years, they face a huge challenge: their identity is tied to their past success.
Anthony struggled with this after leaving the NFL. He had the skills and discipline but lacked the mental framework to apply them to business.
Many professionals experience this when they:
✅ Transition from employee to entrepreneur
✅ Move into leadership for the first time
✅ Scale a business to the next level
✅ Shift industries or take on new challenges
If you feel stuck, the problem may not be effort—it may be who you believe you are.
What Is Dark Work?
One of the biggest success factors Anthony discovered is what he calls dark work—the hard, unseen effort that happens before the results show up.
Most people only work hard when they know others are watching. But real success happens when no one is looking.
The Dark Work Formula for Success
Anthony breaks dark work down into three core principles:
🔹 Commit to habits before results. Success follows consistency. The results won’t show up immediately, but the process matters.
🔹 Push past the comfort zone. The best breakthroughs happen when you lean into difficulty and challenge yourself beyond what feels easy.
🔹 Measure progress based on effort, not just outcomes. If you’re waiting for a big win before you feel successful, you’ll always be behind. Focus on what you’re doing every day.
Dark work separates top performers from the average. Whether in business, sports, or leadership, the people who win are the ones who put in the work when no one’s watching.
How to Apply Identity Shifts to Business
For entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners, identity shifts are the key to breaking through to the next level.
Most people try to achieve something before they believe they’re capable of it. But Anthony says the opposite is true:
“You don’t achieve first and then believe—you believe first, and that’s what leads to achievement.”
Three Steps to Shift Your Identity
1️⃣ Find mentors who challenge your thinking. Surround yourself with people who expect more of you and push you beyond your current limits.
2️⃣ Break old patterns that keep you stuck. Success comes from letting go of old habits and adopting new ones that match your goals.
3️⃣ Redefine what’s possible by building new habits. If you want different results, you need to act differently. Small shifts lead to massive changes over time.
Many people fail because they try to apply new strategies to an old identity. To create lasting success, you have to shift who you believe you are first.
Overcoming Ego: The Silent Barrier to Growth
One of the biggest obstacles Anthony sees in his coaching clients is ego.
Your ego exists to protect your current identity. It doesn’t care about growth. It only cares about staying the same.
This is why people resist change—even when they know they need it.
Common ego traps that hold people back:
🚫 “I’ve always done it this way.”
🚫 “That’s just who I am.”
🚫 “I don’t need help.”
The truth? If you’re not where you want to be, your current identity isn’t built for that level of success.
The fix? Be willing to be uncomfortable.
Anthony emphasizes that growth requires being out of character for a while. You have to start doing things that feel unnatural—until they become part of your new identity.
This is what separates high achievers from those who stay stuck.
Final Thoughts: Success Is a Daily Commitment
Success isn’t about luck. It’s not about working harder. It’s about aligning your identity with your goals.
Anthony’s journey from the NFL to entrepreneurship proves that talent alone isn’t enough. To succeed, you need to:
✅ Shift your identity to match your goals
✅ Do the dark work when no one is watching
✅ Let go of ego and embrace new challenges
If you feel stuck, it’s time for a shift.
Connect with Carl:
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- Contact 40 Strategy
- Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn
- Buy a copy of “Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Strategy” by Carl J. Cox.
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