You don't have to get a certification—I want you to choose for your future self, not to escape from anxiety

Hello, I'm Terry, an advanced NLP professional coach.

・Am I okay just like this?
・Maybe I should acquire some kind of skill...
・For now, maybe I'll just get a certification.

Have you ever thought like that?

Today, I'd like to offer some tips on how to make a "satisfying choice" without being swallowed by anxiety, from the perspective that "you don't have to get a certification."

A certification is not a "magic tool" that changes your life

・If I get a certification, maybe I'll find a job.
・If I have a certification, maybe my life will change.

I understand that feeling well. But you must not forget—

not all certifications will dramatically change your life
that is the reality.

There are cases where your salary or working conditions do not improve even if you get a certification

In reality,

・There are many holders of the certification, so it doesn't differentiate you.
・Practical experience is prioritized.
・The wage level of the industry itself is low.

For reasons like these,the results may not match the effort.

I myself hold a national certification as aRegistered Dietitian, and acertificate obtained from a graduate school in the UK. The things I learned, the knowledge I accumulated, and the experience—all of these were important to me.

But—
in the fields of medicine and psychology, the honest truth is thatthe salary level is not actually high.

Especially in jobs without night shifts,there are many cases where you don't reach the average annual income of your peers, and I constantly struggled with the conflict of "it's rewarding, but honestly, I want more..."

Medical professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, and doctors are certainly classified as high-income earners in general. But in reality,

・The weight of responsibility involving life and death
・The harshness of irregular shifts and night shifts
・The accumulation of emotional labor

with things like these,many people also question, "Is the pay commensurate with the work?"is the reality.

I also stopped for a moment, realized that there was a gap between "myself with this certification" and "the way of life I truly desire," and ultimately chose to let go of my career as a Registered Dietitian that I had continued for 10 years.

The honest truth is that it was difficult to continue working based on reward alone.

The most important question is, "What do I want to do by getting this certification?"

There is nothing wrong with getting a certification itself.
However, if you act solely on the "passive" expectation that "something might change if I get a certification," you may end up feeling that your hard work was in vain.

That is why I want you to ask yourself:

・What do I want to do by getting this certification?
・What kind of work style or lifestyle do I want to achieve by utilizing this certification?

If the future that lies beyond obtaining it is what you truly desire, then it is well worth the effort.

And of course, there are jobs that you cannot do without a certification.
If you have a clear career path in mind, such as in medicine, law, or a national qualification, you should proceed without hesitation.

However, I want you to make sure that this choice is a step toward "nurturing your own future" rather than "escaping from anxiety," and to confirm in advance whether that future will provide the level of satisfaction you desire before you proceed.

Studying for a certification is not "something to show others"

When you are studying for a certification, you might feel like you are working hard, which can temporarily boost your self-esteem.

On social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), you often see posts saying, "I studied for three hours today!" The "you who is studying" gives off the impression of "doing something good" to the world, and it is easy to get external validation.

But I believe thatstudying for a certification is not something you do to show others.

A certification is a tool necessary to shape your future and your way of life, and
if it is something that "you cannot continue without being cheered on," I want you to stop and think for a moment: is that certification really meaningful?

If it is truly necessary, you should be able to continue working on it silently,
without having to show it off or be praised by anyone.

You have value even without a certification

Finally, this is the one thing I want to convey.

Not having a certification does not mean you are a person with nothing.
Even without a certification, you have experience, skills, and character.

It is not too late to get a certification after you have sorted those things out first.
You can choose it properly when you feel it is truly necessary.

I recommend that you sort out your mental foundation before choosing

When you think, "Should I get a certification?", instead of starting with "What should I get?", it is very important to
first sort out your mental foundation.

Please try to be conscious of these three steps:

1. Articulate what you want to value in your life from now on 2.
Visualize your ideal future specifically 3. Research
what skills or certifications are truly necessary to achieve that ideal

By organizing your thoughts in this order, you will be able to make "truly meaningful choices."

Conclusion: How you choose changes your life

Instead of "getting a certification just because," "choosing after clarifying what you want to gain" will significantly change how satisfied you feel with your life.

It's okay not to rush; this might be a time for preparation, or you might still be in the stage of exploring your direction. Everything has meaning.

"You don't have to get a certification."
But if you decide to get one, I want you to be the kind of person who can cherish that choice.

May your steps lead you properly toward your future.

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