Identity is a state of mind in which someone acknowledges or identifies their own character qualities, which leads to discovering who they are and what they do, rather than those of others. In other words, it's essentially who you are and how you identify yourself. It's your reputation. Your identity is how people perceive you. It is what others expect of you. Your identity affects everything you do and every choice you make. Knowing and understanding your character is the first step to building your identity. Your identity is not your job, where you work, who your friends are, or even your family. Your identity is what makes you unique. It is your character that defines you as a person. Your actions can be based on good or bad values, but unless you know your character you will never be able to build an identity that lets you take control of your life. Your identity is something very personal that only you can decide what you want it to be. The more you know yourself the better able you will be to build up your identity. Understanding your weaknesses as well as your strengths will help you grow into a complete person.