--- title: "Shifting Your Identity to a Serving State" description: "Discover how shifting from a self-serving to a serving identity, by embracing micro-moments and actionable awareness, leads to authentic connection and…" lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/de07e44b-a8e0-4bcc-bcb0-13aec15421f1/headshot-front.jpg", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ], "jobTitle": "Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Blue Goat Cyber", "url": "https://bluegoatcyber.com/" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#website", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" }, "founder": { "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/#person" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/christian.espinosa.official", "https://x.com/Ironracer", "https://www.instagram.com/christian.espinosa.official/", "https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianEspinosaOfficial", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Shifting Your Identity to a Serving State - Christian Espinosa", "description": "Discover how shifting from a self-serving to a serving identity, by embracing micro-moments and actionable awareness, leads to authentic connection and…", "image": "https://christianespinosa.com/__l5e/assets-v1/8b01f0da-326e-4654-b529-7823c3b9b28b/shifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state-card.png", "datePublished": "2024-06-26T02:42:41+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-06-26T05:37:09.745Z", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://christianespinosa.com/blog/shifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/about" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Christian Espinosa", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://christianespinosa.com/logo.svg" } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the core idea behind \"Shifting Your Identity to a Serving State - Christian Espinosa\"?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Identity is fluid if you’re open to evolving and changing. Everything we experience impacts our identity. Mine was once very rigid and self-serving, even" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Who is this post for?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Honestly, anyone who suspects the real life is happening in the ordinary hours, not the milestones. If you want a listicle, this is not that. If you want the honest version of what I have actually lived and worked through, keep reading." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I actually apply this, not just nod along?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Pick the single line in the post that made you flinch or look away, and change one thing in your week because of it. One choice this week beats a whole framework you never touch." } } ] } ] --- [Skip to content](#main) [](/) [About](/about)[Speaking](/speaking)[Cybersecurity](/cybersecurity)[Programs](/programs)[Books](/books)[Media](/media) Writing Search Ctrl K[Connect](/connect) [The In-Between](/blog/category/the-in-between) # Shifting Your Identity to a Serving State June 26, 2024 2 min read 498 words My identity was once rigid and self-serving. I had good intentions, but that wasn't enough. I realized that wasn't a healthy path, and I wanted to shift to a serving state. ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/24d7a66c-2999-4048-9d60-dcac08c969da/shifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state-hero.webp) The takeaways 1. 01 It focuses on two environments, the micro and macro. What to do next Name the one place in your life this week where focuses is quietly running the show, and write it down before you go to bed tonight. 2. 02 The micro is the in-between, all the little moments. What to do next Name the one place in your life this week where micro is quietly running the show, and write it down before you go to bed tonight. 3. 03 The macro is the big picture, the goals and milestones. What to do next Choose one small action tied to goals you can do in the next 24 hours that your future self would thank you for. 4. 04 It had devastating consequences until I was able to shift my identity. My identity was once rigid and self-serving. I had good intentions, but that wasn't enough. I realized that wasn't a healthy path, and I wanted to shift to a serving state. This is what my book, _The In-Between: Life in the Micro_, is about. It focuses on two environments, the micro and macro. The micro is the in-between, all the little moments. The macro is the big picture, the goals and milestones. I spent most of my life only paying attention to the macro. It had devastating consequences until I was able to shift my identity. ## Self-Serving vs. Serving States Being self-serving is necessary for survival, physically or emotionally. We all have barriers that act as protectors. These are more present for those with a history of trauma. I was once in this category. I thought a “me against the world” philosophy was the best one to have. It allowed me to achieve some incredible goals, but my self-serving was often at the expense of others that I cared about. A serving state steps up in the in-between. It’s empathy and action toward others. I had been working on this shift for some time. Witnessing a bad car accident was a key moment in realizing I’d accomplished this change. In the moments of the crash, I did not think about how this would impact my day or plans. Instead, I removed my ego from the situation. I was someone who helped others and put their needs first. It was a feeling of purposefulness and connection. ## Why Care About the Serving State? Living a disconnected, macro-focused life may have its advantages. They could be monetary or food for your ego. It’s also a very lonely existence. Loneliness isn’t about isolation or lack of human interaction. Rather, it’s the feeling that no one else could possibly understand you. It becomes easy to serve only yourself. A serving state is the opposite. You are open to others and give them your attention. This enables authentic connections. An identity that cares about the serving state provides opportunities to have meaningful micro-moments that make us better humans. ## The Serving State and Actionable Awareness Another concept in my book is actionable awareness. It’s the act of observing my thoughts, feelings, and actions in a situation and asking if they are serving me. From there, I want to act on this for myself and others. The action can change all this and be transformative. In this feedback loop, I also remind myself that there is no failure, only feedback. I’m also listening to my gut and acting on it rather than sitting on the sidelines. Moving to a serving state requires reflection and an embrace of the micro. You can learn more about how to do this by reading my book. Frequently asked ### What is the core idea behind "Shifting Your Identity to a Serving State - Christian Espinosa"? ### Who is this post for? ### How do I actually apply this, not just nod along? ### Work with me I help founders and cybersecurity leaders build teams that ship, not teams that stall. If that's the problem you're trying to solve, let's talk. [Start a conversation](/contact) Share this essay [X ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fshifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state&text=Shifting%20Your%20Identity%20to%20a%20Serving%20State) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fshifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fshifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state) [Email](mailto:?subject=Shifting%20Your%20Identity%20to%20a%20Serving%20State&body=https%3A%2F%2Fchristianespinosa.com%2Fblog%2Fshifting-your-identity-to-a-serving-state)Copy link ![Christian Espinosa, headshot](/__l5e/assets-v1/de07e44b-a8e0-4bcc-bcb0-13aec15421f1/headshot-front.jpg) About the author [Christian Espinosa](/about) · Founder & CEO, Blue Goat Cyber Christian is the founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber, a medical device cybersecurity firm. He's an Air Force Academy graduate, 24x Ironman, climber of two of the Seven Summits, and the author of The Smartest Person in the Room and The In-Between: Life in the Micro. Keep reading - [ ### Openness to Input and Feedback Drives Self-Correction - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/openness-to-input-and-feedback-drives-self-correction) - [ ### Putting a Goal of Awareness into Action - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/putting-a-goal-of-awareness-into-action) - [ ### How Your Ego Impacts Your Life - Christian Espinosa Same thread: the in between. Read essay → ](/blog/how-your-ego-impacts-your-life) [← Previous essay Informed Intentions Make You Less Vulnerable to Circumstances - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/informed-intentions-make-you-less-vulnerable-to-circumstances)[Next essay → Micro-Moments Center on the Present - Christian Espinosa ](/blog/micro-moments-center-on-the-present) Related, The In-Between ### Live in the In-Between Christian's philosophy on micro vs. macro, awareness, and intentional living, explored in talks, essays, and his books. [Connect with Christian](/connect) Christian Espinosa Bestselling author, keynote speaker, and Founding CEO of [Blue Goat Cyber](https://bluegoatcyber.com/). Helping technical leaders develop the soft skills that turn brilliance into impact. 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