Credentialism is for insecure overachievers
My favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote is:
Who you are speaks so loudly, I cannot hear a word you are saying
The idea that we ultimately ought to judge people by who they are, not by what they are saying, portraying or displaying outwardly deeply resonates with me.
One expression of this, in my opinion, is to avoid overindulging in credentials.
Credentials are superficial. While one personally may be linking an experience or memories to them, using them to posture is shallow and ultimately misleading.
Those who overuse their credentials for status, often seem to be insecure overachievers. Often they don’t have enough trust in the substance of their being to do without external accolades.
Credentialism is tempting because sometimes it can promise shortcuts, but the reliance on external validation risks disconnecting us from our authentic selves.
