Our everyday experiences shape our sense of self—and that sense of self, in turn, shapes how we navigate the world. Nowhere is that more visible than at work.

That’s according to Rotman associate professor Jacob Hirsh. In his recent paper, “The Game of Self: Identity and Experience as Active Inference,” he argues that we’re constantly updating a working model of who we are—and using it to make decisions.

For example, if someone sees themselves as an all-star employee, a strong performance review reinforces that identity. But a negative review creates tension: do they reject the feedback, or revise how they see themselves?

That tension is what Hirsh calls the “Game of Self.”

“‘The Game of Self’ is basically how we try to minimize self-uncertainty by developing a coherent sense of identity,” he says. “There’s so much uncertainty in the world—about who we are, what we’re supposed to be doing, what’s happening to us—and the brain is constantly trying to answer those questions.”

In practice, that means we’re always interpreting new information through the lens of our existing self-image. When something aligns with how we see ourselves, it feels validating. When it doesn’t, we’re forced to either adapt that self-image—or take action to preserve our sense of self.

Hirsh’s framework suggests that this is an ongoing process: we are constantly encountering information that either reinforces or challenges our self-image, and the “game” is how we reconcile who we think we are with what we experience in the world.

“Organizations really are arenas for the ‘Game of Self’ because our work lives are such a huge part of our overall identity,” says Hirsh. “It’s all about managing identity uncertainty, and we’re entering a time of really exaggerated uncertainty, where familiar structures are changing or breaking down.”

Hirsh adds that understanding our sense of self—and accepting that it’s constantly evolving—can open the door to achieving things we might not otherwise believe possible.

Outplaying your self

Our self-impression helps us navigate workplace decisions and situations, but staying in the box we’ve created for ourselves can also limit our potential. 

If, for example, we believe that we’re too inexperienced to take on more responsibility, we’re likely to resist opportunities that challenge that perception and help build new skills. 

“It touches on the idea of imposter syndrome,” Hirsh says. “Even if they’re performing well, they have this self-belief that they don’t belong or they’re not as legitimate as other people.” 

Moving forward in our careers requires dislodging those self-identities and expanding them beyond their existing boundaries. That is why Hirsh believes it’s so important for individuals to take on projects or responsibilities that fall outside their comfort zone. 

“The best source of that is new identity-expanding experiences, where you put yourself in situations where you’re getting these new experiences you don’t normally get in your current identity framework,” he says. “This is aligned very well with the idea of a stretch goal, where you're trying to do something beyond what you normally think you're capable of, or outside of your normal comfort zone — kind of like ‘fake it ‘til you make it.’”

When it comes to career development, Hirsh emphasizes the importance of trying new things and taking on new responsibilities. Even if it feels uncomfortable at first, overcoming that fear forces an expansion of our self-image, and with it, our perceived limitations. 

“It is a feedback loop,” he says. “The more you do those new kinds of things, the more you start to see yourself as someone who's capable of doing them, which then makes it easier to do them in the future, and it snowballs over time.” 

Why leaders need to know the rules of the game 

Much of our self-identity is shaped by social interactions and feedback, and those we consider authority figures play an outsized role in shaping that impression. 

Knowing that, says Hirsh, can help managers more delicately craft feedback that challenges the recipient’s self-image, or better inspire them to expand beyond their perceived limitations.  

“When you're giving performance feedback to someone, you're not just saying, ‘here's information about how you did on that task,’ you potentially are really challenging their core identity,” he says. “Adopting an identity-based perspective to understand where everyone is coming from — and how that is leading them to act within the organization — opens up new avenues for effective leadership, for helping people grow into work roles and work identities that are productive and sustainable.” 

Hirsh says that this approach can take on different forms. For some employees it might be about ego management, delivering negative news in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the recipient by challenging their self-identity. In those instances, Hirsh recommends treading lightly, and giving the recipient opportunities to regain confidence in areas that they might be struggling in.

For others it could be used to inspire them to take on roles and responsibilities that fall outside of their self-image’s existing boundaries. In those situations, he suggests communicating why the recipient may be capable of more than they know, citing past examples where they demonstrated similar skills. 

“Identity concerns are of fundamental importance in terms of shaping work behavior,” says Hirsh. “Being mindful of this self-uncertainty is important for managing work in 2026, because this is one of the big things that can affect how we perform.”