I've long thought identity had a lot to do with our performance – how we think of ourselves, who we think we are.

“Identity” is a powerful explanation of attitude and behaviour. There was an interesting finding (can’t recall where I saw it) to the effect that the only way to stop soldiers committing atrocities on civilians in the heat of battle is to recall their identity to them – “marines don’t do that”. (I’m not sure how they tested various ways of stopping marines committing atrocities).

There is another piece of research involving returning lost wallets. The single biggest group of wallet returners reported that they did so because they’re not the kind of people to keep stuff that isn’t theirs.

As I’ve got older I’ve got fitter and leaner. Part of what has happened is that I consciously make food choices based on the identity I’ve developed over the last few years – “I don’t eat that kind of thing”, “I prefer salads”. I don’t even have to think about some of those choices anymore because my identity doesn’t even let it arise (though fries sit just outside the auto-decline).

It’s the same with being in a small business. Do you define yourself as being part of a small business or of a growing business? Because how you define yourself will define the choices you make. You will see or not see opportunities depending on how you define yourself. You will choose (or not choose) to do things based on how they align with who you think you are.

To say you work in a small business is to define yourself as small, now and in the future. To define yourself as part of a growing business is to define who you are becoming. That’s a much more interesting game to play, and it doesn’t matter that the numbers don’t say that yet. They will.