Degree without Engineer? Or… Engineer in Results?

It’s easy enough to present yourself with a title… but bloody hard to present yourself with results.

Blimey, what a bloody letdown!

They sell you the degree as if it were the jackpot, and when you finally have it in your hands, you realize it was just the entry ticket — or something like the starting gun, at best.

And that’s when the real mess begins, and everyone muddles through life the best they can.

Earning a degree is, of course, a hell of an achievement. But if you stop and think for a moment, you’ll realize it’s just the first mile of a race that —believe me— has no finish line. And it’s chaos.

And to top it off, no shortcuts, no GPS — bloody hell, in this dance, everyone scratches along as they can.

The truly curious thing —and here’s the fun part— is that once you’ve got the paper framed and hanging proudly in the living room, you still have to prove you’re not just a walking diploma but someone who actually builds, contributes, solves — someone who leaves a mark, even if it’s just breadcrumbs along the way. Because there are loads of degrees out there, and even more walls covered with diplomas. It’s absurd.

What I mean is, the degree comes with no guarantee of results, no sure-fire success. It’s just a business card, barely a polite “how do you do?” The rest —what really counts— you have to earn, day in and day out, no excuses… and no melodrama.

One day I reflected on this whole idea of being an “Engineer of Results,” because, yes, it’s a right pain in the arse to study for years only to get thrown abruptly into the streets to survive, to discover you need much more than what they teach you at university. A daylight robbery, really — because what you actually learn, you learn the hard way: out there, in the stumbles and the little victories, in the times when everything falls apart and you land flat on your face, and you have to dust yourself off with dignity (or whatever you’ve got left).But that’s where you earn respect: when what you do speaks for you, and there’s no need for a diploma anymore. You no longer have to flash your CV like some traffic cop’s badge, or say, “Hello, I’m Mr. So-and-So, degree-holder and practically a saint.”

Look, of course the degree is a brilliant start — like getting a new car: thrilling, it even smells new and all that — but then you’ve got to learn to drive it without knocking off the mirrors or ending up in a ditch. Really, what’s all this about?

After that infernal shake-up, the beauty lies in the results: humble, quiet, no fireworks, no fuss… they’re just there. Like a well-made armchair — you see it, you sit down, and go: “Blimey, this is it, eh?” You couldn’t care less who built it, you just feel bloody comfortable sitting there, because it’s obvious the maker knew exactly what he was doing.

So, if you ask me, the degree is great. A classy start, very stylish — but don’t get too full of yourself or use it as a shield of guarantee. Because, no matter how shiny it is, if there are no results behind it, it ends up being nothing more than an expensive label. And the world is already full of empty labels with airs and graces.

Between us, what really counts are hands that solve, heads that think clearly, and hearts that get involved without making a scene. What it takes is commitment, discipline, perseverance, courage, tolerance, plenty of grit, creativity, of course solid financial education, and a long, long list. Because the results —the ones you can actually feel, that you live through, that improve other people’s lives— are the only title you can’t hang on a wall.

And mate, what can we do? That’s just how it is — and it’s fine. It’s not about proving anything to anyone, nor about shunning education —come on now, don’t go getting any silly ideas here— but about polishing what’s true, what’s essential: staying in constant, holistic learning and leaving behind little traces of what you know.

Take care with what you do (more for your own sake than for “what people will say”).

So yes, by all means, show off your degree — of course you should, you’ve bloody well earned it! But wear it with a light touch, not like you’ve just been crowned emperor of the universe.And keep giving it your all — because the best credentials don’t make any noise.

So when someone asks you: “What do you do?”You can calmly reply, with half a smile:"I make things work."

…alright then, good night.

-Manu Paqué-