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Identity Work (Naval Almanack)

Helps the agent work through self-deception, stuck positions and failed habit change using identity-based ideas from Naval Ravikant

Source Download skill
Repository
kangarooking/cangjie-skill
Stars
11,998
Licence
MIT
Files
3 files

What it does

When you notice you keep defending a position, can't face an uncomfortable reality, or keep failing to change yourself, the agent follows a structured reflection process drawn from Naval Ravikant's book. It helps you audit beliefs that are tied to labels, look at what you may be avoiding, and turn a goal into a stated identity you commit to, such as declaring a new habit to people you know, followed by 30 days of small matching actions. It is a coaching-style framework, not a therapist, and it explicitly tells the agent to stop and suggest professional help when deeper trauma is involved.

Great for

  • People who catch themselves rationalising a position or a label and want to test their beliefs
  • Someone who has repeatedly failed at a habit and wants a commitment-based approach
  • Readers of Naval Ravikant's book who want an applied version of its ideas

Skip it if

  • Deep trauma or personality-level problems, which the skill itself says need professional counselling, not self-help declarations (risk of harm if used as a substitute)
  • Situations where a concrete external problem must be solved first, since the skill says act first and adjust identity later
  • Communities or identities where giving up group belonging could cost real support, which the skill's own author flags as a blind spot

Try asking

  • “I keep defending my position in arguments even when I know I'm wrong. Can you help me audit my beliefs?”
  • “I keep promising to change my habits and failing. Help me build an identity statement and a 30-day plan.”
  • “I think I'm making excuses to myself about my business failing. What reality am I avoiding?”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Identity Work (Naval Almanack)Install, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 3 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    identity-work.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip identity-work.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip identity-work.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Be specific about the habit or belief you want to examine; vague requests produce vague audits
  • Treat the output as a structured prompt for your own reflection, and check conclusions with someone you trust
  • If the topic touches trauma, depression or harm, ask for professional support directly rather than relying on the framework

What's inside

  • SKILL.md
  • test-prompts.json
  • test-results.md

Redistributed unmodified from kangarooking/cangjie-skill under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.