“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” 

So wrote Ralph Ellison in Invisible Man. Is the pursuit of a single, truly known identity possible? Does it even exist?

Our conscious mind is constantly spinning tales in order to stitch together the emotions we experience with our perception of the world around us, giving us our sense of identity. And usually, it manages to make it all make sense.

But lying beneath this constantly narrating confabulator is our unconscious mind, and we have less ‘control’ over it than we may think. 

How can we become aware of the stories we tell ourselves to rationalise the beliefs, feelings and instincts of our unconscious mind? And can we shape the future of our identity by nurturing better narratives?

This is our edit of the global conversation on purpose. 

• Is it possible to be truly self-aware, or is our conscious mind actually in the passenger seat? – The New York Times
• How companies should be creating a collective identity for employees to relate to, especially in an era of remote work – Eat Sleep Work Repeat Podcast 
• To see real change, boardrooms need to address their diversity problems – Raconteur 
• How walking can increase your happiness and sense of meaning – The Atlantic 
• To infinity, through the rubbish! How the private sector is getting involved in tracking space debris as satellite launches increase – The Economist 
• Identity of control: how the randomness of illness impacts people’s idea of self, morality and science – The Guardian 
• Why the financial sector needs to start investing in biodiversity solutions – The Financial Times
• Mental health at work: how and why employers need to do better when it comes to employee mental wellness – McKinsey