The Real Power of Certification: It is not what you get; it is what you become that makes you valuable.

I thirst for knowledge… all the time. It is like water to me… nourishment… I need it for me to continue work… to apply the knowledge to practical and actual use… to evolve… to be more.

cert learning_path-300x202 When I pursue a certification…any certification for that matter… it is not the certificate that I am after. The journey to achieving the certification is more valuable than the certificate itself. There is a lot of learning to go through before, during and after the certification. The physical certificates that I post on my wall and the badges (digital badges these days) awarded to me by certifying bodies are just a by-product of the hard work that I put in…the time and effort that I had invested in towards the mastery of the subject on hand. I am motivated…by the pursuit of mastery, empowered by autonomy, and driven by a sense of purpose. As a result, I become more valuable. I become stronger, wiser, and better.

badges A certificate, is just a paper, a digital badge…worth nothing; what you have become as a result of that journey towards the certificate is where the value is.

leading Now, go further…specially with SAFe body of knowledge and certifications…go and live it, everyday! Knowing is not the same as understanding. Understanding is not the same as living it and applying it — the SAFe Core Values, SAFe Principles, SAFe practices — with action, everyday!

So…don’t just get through the training.. don’t just get the certificate…instead, go further: get from the training and apply the things you’ve learned, personally and professionally, everyday. If you want more, you have to be more. The certification and the knowledge you gain…and the better person you become make you more valuable to the marketplace.

It is what it — the Transformational Journey to Your Certification — makes of you that makes you more valuable.

October 15, 2022: My new book, “SAFe Is Like …“, is now available on Amazon.