We are all striving for being more, having more and becoming happier, aren’t we? But how much do we acknowledge what we’ve become, who we are and what we’ve accomplished?
I get all kind of comments and reactions about the letters I’ve added in my signature: M.Eng, MBA, ACC, ORSC. Some are curious what ACC or ORSC means, other are impressed or … don’t even care! Once I was asked: “Aren’t you afraid that you scare people away showing so many letters?” … or “Why don’t you drop off a few letters? They don’t match!” BTW, I believe that all our experiences add up to who we’ve become and what we can do, even if they might appear to be from a different field. For example, in my coaching practice I can relate very well with analytical people, which might not be the case of another coach with a background in HR or Literature.
There is a history about these letters, and I’m pretty sure that sooner or later they won’t be there anymore. Having an engineering degree or MBA was “so what?” for me, until I’ve noticed that they mean something… to others. Until recently, I wasn’t confident enough, proud of whom I’ve become… not even when I’ve found my passion, changed my career and get certified in coaching (ACC) and trained in ORSC (Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching). The moment when start I acknowledging my own path and embrace what I’ve become, turned out to be a positive attitude shift: I’ve become more confident and I also noticed a shift in how others are perceiving me. Starting that moment, I’ve added all those letters to my signature. Not to get more outside appreciation, but as a reminder to myself of who I am and the value of my own path. And soon, I won’t need that reminder anymore … because this will become a new habit: to be happy and grateful for who I am in this moment – instead of unhappy of not being where I’d like to be. This way I’ll enjoy more and shorten the path of getting there… for sure!
What do you think? Do you care about those letters? Are you happy and grateful for who you really are in this moment? Please leave your comments, I’d love to hear what you think.
Gabriela Casineanu, M.Eng, MBA, ACC, ORSC
Success in any endeavor begins on the inside. The media and society tell us repeatedly that success is something ‘out there’ to be pursed. Success is on the inside along with all the answers that are right for ‘you.’ If the letters help your inside, have at it. If others think different, that is a reflection of what’s going on inside them.
If you own them, own them and smile about it. That’s the definition of living your truth!
Thanks Steven. 😉 I totally agree with you. Funny, I’m redesigning my website right now, and the main message is “Success starts from within”.
Great main message! Amen to that.
Success in any endeavor begins on the inside. The media and society tell us repeatedly that success is something ‘out there’ to be pursed. Success is on the inside along with all the answers that are right for ‘you.’ If the letters help your inside, have at it. If others think different, that is a reflection of what’s going on inside them.
If you own them, own them and smile about it. That’s the definition of living your truth!
Thanks Steven. 😉 I totally agree with you. Funny, I’m redesigning my website right now, and the main message is “Success starts from within”.
Great main message! Amen to that.
Letters just as titles, have little importance.
There are a lot of ASE certified auto technicians but that does not mean all do a good job, does not even mean that all know what they are doing when they work on your car.
LEAN MANUFACTURING means something that I thought it was part of the common sense. All these concepts, labels, give you a “standard” idea about the quality level or capability of a person or system?
Surprinsingly enough, different persons with the same label (letters like MBA, AA…..) are still very different.
Today we give so much importance to titles and labels, we forget to look at the person.
I, for one, do not care about getting a higher title, I do not want to have more, I do not categorize people through labels, titles or possesions.
I see it as a lawyer’s or a doctor’s waiting room, with a lot of diplomas posted and framed. Good for them, they had the strength to pursue what they thought it was important.
Your accomplishments and your capability combined with your personality should be more important than a label.
There is also the other side of the story where these letters are so important now in our society where people get overlooked or not even noticed without these labels.
Just another convention stamp.
Thanks for your comment, Paul. The letters have the meaning that we give them or the one that we accept… from others. That meaning could change in time (like it happened to me), or not (when we get stuck in a certain perspective).
Letters just as titles, have little importance.
There are a lot of ASE certified auto technicians but that does not mean all do a good job, does not even mean that all know what they are doing when they work on your car.
LEAN MANUFACTURING means something that I thought it was part of the common sense. All these concepts, labels, give you a “standard” idea about the quality level or capability of a person or system?
Surprinsingly enough, different persons with the same label (letters like MBA, AA…..) are still very different.
Today we give so much importance to titles and labels, we forget to look at the person.
I, for one, do not care about getting a higher title, I do not want to have more, I do not categorize people through labels, titles or possesions.
I see it as a lawyer’s or a doctor’s waiting room, with a lot of diplomas posted and framed. Good for them, they had the strength to pursue what they thought it was important.
Your accomplishments and your capability combined with your personality should be more important than a label.
There is also the other side of the story where these letters are so important now in our society where people get overlooked or not even noticed without these labels.
Just another convention stamp.
Thanks for your comment, Paul. The letters have the meaning that we give them or the one that we accept… from others. That meaning could change in time (like it happened to me), or not (when we get stuck in a certain perspective).