Are we what we achieve?

I was watching Oprah yesterday and her guest was the First Lady of California Maria Shriver. For those who have never heard of Ms Shriver, she is the daughter of Sargent Shriver who founded the Peace Corps and Eunice Kennedy who founded the Special Olympics. She is also married to one of Hollywood's most famous action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Growing up with the Kennedys, Maria Shriver was exposed to a life of achievements. After all, two of her uncles became President of the United States. Perhaps coming from a family of over-achievers, she was driven to find her own niche and be known for her own achievements.

When she became First Lady, she lost her job as a journalist for NBC and she tried on a new role, that of a wife of a politician. I suppose she got lost in the hype and in a 2007 speech, she admitted to 14,000 people that she had lost her identity. She said that she had lived her life defined by her job.

I thought that it was so honest and genuine of her to come out and say that at 51 years old, she still didn't know who she was. I think I've lived with this thought for my whole 27 years of existence - I don't know who I am and I don't know what I want to do with my life.

At the same time, the world tells you that you are defined by your job, your education, your achievements, your family, your values, your savings, your properties, your choices, your friends, your grades, your hobbies, your abilities, your ideas, your likes and your dislikes, etc.

But is it a true measure of your self and self-worth?