Men don’t wake up one day and destroy their lives.They don’t suddenly abandon faith, family, or integrity.Collapse happens long before behavior changes.In this Formation Focus teaching, we confront a hard but necessary truth: behavior fails last…identity fails first. When men try to fix habits without addressing identity, change never lasts. True transformation begins beneath the surface—in how a man sees himself, the story he lives from, and the agreements he’s made about who he is.This session explores why behavior modification fails when identity remains unexamined, and why formation must precede function. Drawing from psychology, Scripture, and formation theology, this teaching exposes the quiet drift that precedes public collapse and lays the foundation for real, lasting change.You’ll learn:• Why identity collapse always precedes behavior collapse• How cognitive dissonance explains internal conflict and rationalization• Why unexamined patterns feel inevitable and how exposure restores authority• How Scripture and psychology converge on identity formation• Why formation answers the WHAT and the WHY before tactics address the HOWThis teaching bridges directly into Tactical Tuesday, where we move from formation to execution—building practical tools that actually hold.If you’ve tried habits, discipline, or motivation without lasting change, this message is for you.Formation before function.Identity before execution.LinkTree in bio or search War Ready Podcast on YouTube.#IdentityFormation #MensDiscipleship #SpiritualFormation #LeadershipDevelopment #warready

References & InfluencesFestinger, Cognitive Dissonance TheoryErikson, Identity FormationWillard, Spiritual FormationFrankl, Meaning & ResponsibilityScripture: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)