A therapist explains how knowing your work archetype could help with stress

We’re constantly bombarded with the next productivity and work success secret, and, for some of us, it may feel like we’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at hacking our career success.

In our hustle-driven culture, it’s practically impossible to avoid the nail-biting worry over making a big impact in the workplace - and, with the likes of LinkedIn spewing constant highlight reels, what we feel to be lacking is only magnified. It’s no wonder a staggering 83% of U.S. workers say they suffer from work-related stress daily.

What if the biggest game changer is figuring out who you are in the workplace?

Are you overwhelmed by tasks? Do you feel like you’re not doing enough? Is a task too daunting to even start it? Am I obsessing too much over this? These are some of the most common worries at work—you might drown in a sea of self-doubt and a lack of direction. Finding your work archetype could be the answer to clear your mind and propel your career. 

Bain’s report is derived from extensive research of 20,000 workers across 10 countries. Their findings revealed six archetypes, each with strengths and weaknesses, that help individuals define a sense of purpose at work.

It’s one thing to read through the criteria and another to figure out which work archetype category you fall into. From a CBT perspective, it’s essential to ask yourself specific questions to land at the correct archetype.

If there were no limitations to what you could achieve, what could you become? You can directly assess your inner mission and life goals by contemplating limitations.

How do you define success? This question helps you visualize how you see yourself in life if you become successful and, importantly, connects this with ways to achieve success that are unique to each archetype.

What steps or actions do you take to achieve your goals? The actions will also depend on the archetype. You can map these out to the corresponding archetype contingent on the steps you identify.

Motivation is integral to achieving tangible results and applying the work archetype concept to transform your work-life balance.

For instance, you may thrive on working with others - a likely positive trigger for you would be teamwork.

Finally, you need to assess your current habits and ask yourself what has prevented you from achieving your goals. This question encourages individuals to think about their decisions and choices, which also depend on their work archetype.

Take the time to really think about your response to each of these prompts. Write them down to record your thoughts and match them with the above-listed criteria

It’s easy to fall into the trap of strictly defining yourself by your work archetype, but you’re human. You’re much more than a set of criteria and characteristics. Tuning into these characteristics while having a growth mindset is a powerful combination to bring to the workplace to navigate everyday responsibilities. 

Individuals with a growth mindset are open to new opportunities and the prospect of a challenge. Renowned psychologist Carol Dweck has conducted extensive research into how learning curves are transformative for giving individuals a path to brighter futures. While not everyone may relish challenges, a growth mindset helps people maneuver tricky situations with a solutions-first approach. 

This practice helps you rewire your thoughts, especially those stubborn ones that inflict self-doubt and stop you in your tracks on your way to making crucial life decisions. Regardless of the archetype, you might still have major doubts about making a breakthrough in your career. Anyone can feel this way at any point in their career progression.

The first stage involves questioning our automatic thoughts. CBT practices often highlight the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where believing in a negative outcome can make it more likely to happen. For instance, when doubting your ability to succeed, ask yourself: “What would happen if I didn’t believe that thought?” Internal questioning helps determine whether the thought is useful. Assessing thoughts to gauge whether they’re serving us positively is crucial in recognizing thought patterns and paving the way for changing your mindset.

Secondly, you’ll need to examine the evidence for and against a thought. For example, if you’re convincing yourself that you’ll never get that promotion, consider what evidence you have to support and contradict this belief. This stage is challenging because it requires going beyond habitual thinking patterns and challenging them. In this particular example, it’s vital to realize that not getting a promotion now doesn’t mean it won’t happen ever.

The third stage involves considering alternative explanations, which forces us to explore possibilities we haven’t considered before. This helps us recognize that our assumptions are just that - assumptions. By entertaining alternative thoughts like, “Maybe additional education will help me move forward,” you’re opening yourself up to new possibilities.

With a hunger for growth, you can use your archetype as a loose guide as to what learning opportunities align most with your wider career goals. Are you very willing to embrace risk and place a lot of importance on status? Perhaps setting your sights on a C-suite role is a reasonable goal to aspire to. 

The power of unlocking direction in your professional life should not be underestimated. Your goals serve as an anchor in your everyday working life; when times get tough, they can be a fantastic motivator to stick with what you’re passionate about.

Look back to your goals (that now wonderfully align with your archetype, too): These will help you stay on track.

It’s no secret that imposter syndrome and feelings of inadequacy rear their ugly heads when you’re stressed out. Paradoxically, these underlying sentiments are often the root causes of stress in the first place. That “can’t do it” feeling is what makes you obsess over what you’re lacking in your role, feeding anxiety and stress. 

However, if you’re making progress and know you’re growing and improving your skill set by regularly checking in on your goals, you’ll start to see hard evidence of your capabilities. Document your work wins, whether in a spreadsheet or on a sticky note by your desk and regularly look at this. Seeing how far you’ve come is a powerful reality check when you feel yourself spiraling into those intrusive thoughts of self-doubt.