Titles
What is a title? According to Webster, a title identifies the name given to a book, play, film, musical composition, work, or person. In short, a title describes what we’ve done, or what we do. There seems to be so much weight put on titles, since we wear them everyday. In fact, many of us are driven toward a title hoping it will provide us with inner satisfaction. It’s a natural evolution in the life of a career. But what does it really mean?
Recently, I was asked to offer my thoughts on a job description. As my coworker and I read over the words, we sat in silence. Our eyeballs moved from the page to one another, not making a sound; obvious something was bubbling for each of us. Finally after I noticed his eyebrow flinch, we started laughing. The write up was so complicated we had no idea what the actual position was for. Kudos to the creative who wrote it, because it was extremely imaginative, I just questioned how realistic it was to the actual duties required. What happened to our society that we feel we need to sugar coat everything? Why don’t we just say it like it is? Like the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid. Let the person find their own meaning in what is, rather than feel cheated from unrealistic expectations. I wonder if we go so far beyond the core, in an attempt to add value and purpose, that we actually loose sight of what actually is. Purpose should be found inside ourselves… not from a title.
And yet it is a constant struggle. Titles pop up everywhere.
A consultant told me that the most important thing about my book would be the title. Five agents who rejected my latest query said the same. It could be the very thing that makes or breaks the success of a book.
A respected business owner and I debated for hours, over my title in the company. He wanted to define me, as a “title”, by challenging me with the dreaded question “Who do you want to be remembered as?” Acting as the antagonist, he stabbed me with the very question I had been avoiding since third year University when all my friends were becoming titles; “teachers”, “accountants”, “doctors”, and I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I didn’t have a title. Confused. Misguided. Undirected. Those were the only names I could relate to.
Even as my experience unfolds, I try on the coats of different roles, and learn a wardrobe of skills; I still can never seem to find one title that fits. Which is why the job description made me laugh. It reminded me, that it doesn’t have to be that difficult.
After the long-winded journey of my twenties, I finally found peace in one fact. At the root of all titles, (sales associate, project coordinator, peer representative, coach, writer, marketer) there is one common denominator. Me. You. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, I am many things to many people. As are you. My titles change depending on my scenery. But I don’t. Well, my passions don’t. So really, the only title I ever need be remembered by is Desiree Daniel. I just hope no one asks for a job description on that.
© Desiree Daniel March 31, 2005
Recently, I was asked to offer my thoughts on a job description. As my coworker and I read over the words, we sat in silence. Our eyeballs moved from the page to one another, not making a sound; obvious something was bubbling for each of us. Finally after I noticed his eyebrow flinch, we started laughing. The write up was so complicated we had no idea what the actual position was for. Kudos to the creative who wrote it, because it was extremely imaginative, I just questioned how realistic it was to the actual duties required. What happened to our society that we feel we need to sugar coat everything? Why don’t we just say it like it is? Like the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid. Let the person find their own meaning in what is, rather than feel cheated from unrealistic expectations. I wonder if we go so far beyond the core, in an attempt to add value and purpose, that we actually loose sight of what actually is. Purpose should be found inside ourselves… not from a title.
And yet it is a constant struggle. Titles pop up everywhere.
A consultant told me that the most important thing about my book would be the title. Five agents who rejected my latest query said the same. It could be the very thing that makes or breaks the success of a book.
A respected business owner and I debated for hours, over my title in the company. He wanted to define me, as a “title”, by challenging me with the dreaded question “Who do you want to be remembered as?” Acting as the antagonist, he stabbed me with the very question I had been avoiding since third year University when all my friends were becoming titles; “teachers”, “accountants”, “doctors”, and I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I didn’t have a title. Confused. Misguided. Undirected. Those were the only names I could relate to.
Even as my experience unfolds, I try on the coats of different roles, and learn a wardrobe of skills; I still can never seem to find one title that fits. Which is why the job description made me laugh. It reminded me, that it doesn’t have to be that difficult.
After the long-winded journey of my twenties, I finally found peace in one fact. At the root of all titles, (sales associate, project coordinator, peer representative, coach, writer, marketer) there is one common denominator. Me. You. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, I am many things to many people. As are you. My titles change depending on my scenery. But I don’t. Well, my passions don’t. So really, the only title I ever need be remembered by is Desiree Daniel. I just hope no one asks for a job description on that.
© Desiree Daniel March 31, 2005
posted by Desiree Daniel @ 9:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home