Beating the curve

66 I am now and close to my final farewell. Alas, according to the criteria of my own model, such facts are absolutely insufficient to elevate myself to senior, or exceptionally accomplished, or 'captain', 'explorer' or 'free agent,' names that actually describe much better what seniority actually is.

Indeed, in those teachings, bombing yourself as a 'senior' is completely out of the question. Je are as good as others think you are. Seniority is a completely subjective concept, a merit valued as such by others.

Employees who attain the qualification senior, as mentioned, want to keep learning, keep discovering. A senior is not afraid of adventure. In short, a senior does not abort his learning curve, but continues it. This phenomenon is also known as beating the curve mentioned. What does that mean?

A mountaineer who conquers a five-kilometre peak is performing a tremendous feat. His surroundings will also acknowledge this. But after the third time, the novelty wears off. The same achievement that was first recognised as great is now barely noticed. The perceived contribution, as it is so nicely called, is actually moving in a downward direction.

But suppose the mountaineer shifts his ambitions and sets his sights on a seven-kilometre summit. Then this is not only a quantitative leap, but also a qualitative one: this project involves totally new things! Teams have to be assembled, base camps set up, different equipment is needed, in short, the scale of the organisation comes to a whole new level, as do the financial implications.