AICI GL BAL

BETWEEN US
LETTER
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
“HE IS
ABLE WHO
THINKS HE
IS ABLE.”
– Buddha
Gaining an AICI professional certification isn’t easy—but then
again, it’s not meant to be. Completing each level of the AICI
Certification is a major, time-consuming task. For many of
our members, just reading the application process raises concerns.
I know, I was one of those members. In early 2007 I was still
questioning whether at the age of 49 I could start a brand new career
in image consulting, let alone sit for an FLC exam. Why Well, I was
afraid that I might fail, and I didn’t believe I was capable. Then I
remembered what my mother would always tell my sisters and me:
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”
She would always tell us, “If you want to be truly successful in life,
then first you have to learn to believe in yourself. If you don’t think
you’ll be successful, then who will” Knowing that someone is going
to test our knowledge can often instill fear in us, so we stall for the fear
of not being instantly good at something or the fear of how long it will
take, the unknown, that we might never achieve it, of making mistakes!
But with my mother’s words in my head, I reached out to my
fellow AICI members and asked for help, and before too long the
process became fun. I got to interact with some incredible AICI
members, and finally I started to say, “Hey, I’m kind of good at this.”
As I reflect back now, it was in the process of preparing for the
FLC where I actually learned the most. I had to learn fast, and I was
amazed at how much better I became as an image professional. The
more I tried, the better I became. The day I got my letter from AICI
saying I had successfully passed my FLC exam was probably one of
my proudest moments because now, at 50, I had learned something
entirely new, and I had a certificate that set me apart as an image
professional and identified me as someone who really knows their job.
I encourage every AICI member to start the certification process. I
started by setting myself some incremental milestones, mini projects
that I felt I could tackle one at a time, and on completion of each I
had intermediate successes. I promise you’ll get so much pleasure
from trying, learning, and succeeding. Always remind yourself why
you wanted to make this change in the first place and why failure
is just intolerable. Use that as motivation when you find yourself
stalling. Reach out to other AICI members who are certified. They
will make the process so much easier for you. Read books, sign up for
our AICI educational classes, and then pick up your pencil and take
your FLC exam in Washington DC in August 2015. We’ll all be there
to celebrate with you.
Nelson Mandela wrote, “Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.”
I change the world every day working with clients, and I can
do this thanks to the education and certification process of AICI. I
encourage you to come join me and the many other certified AICI
members in changing the world of image.
WARMEST WISHES TO ALL,
JANE
The Association of Image Consultants International | 29
The Association of Image Consultants International | 29