I came across a post quoting the memories of a US Secret Service employee, who was tough and emotionless at work but soft at home. It suggested that you can succeed in any job by forming a personality for the workplace and using it.

That makes sense, but for me it seems to work the opposite way.

I never created a separate work persona; rather, work gradually created a new version of me suited for the activity.

In life, I am a rather reserved person, strict and thoughtful. I enjoy communicating, but by nature I am more immersed in my thoughts and always somewhere else. I am not as emotional as I appear. It's hard to truly offend me with anything.

But working with people shaped a completely different personality in me—softer, more emotional, inclined to seek compromises. These personalities coexist perfectly, but, I repeat, the logic of forming a work mask for me was exactly the opposite—my overly strict character somehow compensated itself in the "work" version.

However, the result is the same—you really need a separate personality for work.