I finished reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits earlier this month. I had heard about this book for years but was late to jump on the train. I’m glad I finally did, though, because it is helping me to change my life. The big takeaways that I noted were: 1) I should focus more on shaping identity than on goal-setting; 2) my habits should align with and reflect my identity; and 3) habits that start metaphorically as small as atoms can mushroom into atomically meaningful results. One aspect of myself that I would like to develop is my identity as a genealogist. Whatever it is that genealogists do, I want to be sure that I’m doing those things. Some genealogists become certified, and I decided earlier this year to make that one of my goals. I finally submitted my application last week!
The purpose of the Board for Certification of Genealogists is to provide consumers and researchers an extra layer of confidence in the person who is conducting research for them. A credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists means that “a practitioner has met the field’s rigorous standards for knowledge and competence [in research, analysis, kinship determination, and reporting skills and]…is backed by an independent, professional body that will serve as an arbiter in the rare event that a problem occurs related to genealogical activity.”1 A BCG credential also offers genealogists unique opportunities for training, speaking, and professional networking and development. Personally, a certification is a logical step in my genealogy journey – I want to formalize and diversify my educational pursuits, as encouraged by the certification process, and I would like to receive validation and feedback regarding the soundness of my research knowledge, strategies, conclusions, and products.
With that in mind, I began the application process and am now, as they say, on the clock. That is, I have one year to complete the required portfolio. The portfolio involves written acknowledgment of the Genealogist’s Code; a record of professional development activities; transcription and/or translation of a document provided by the BCG; a client research report; a case study; and a kinship-determination project. Although I only recently submitted my application, I have been working on some of the requirements for a few months. Honestly, even this preparation has been challenging! I have had to determine the “right” case study and kinship projects to explore, round out my genealogy education by taking classes and tackling new research problems, and prepare paperwork and research plans for my volunteer client. Moreover, there is the financial and emotional investment..I’m definitely focused on a successful outcome, but failure is always an option if the portfolio doesn’t meet BCG standards and the evaluation committee’s expectations. In the latter case, a person has to start the process all over again, submitting fees and totally new materials.
Atomic Habits comes into play because I want to establish better habits about how I do genealogy. A genealogist has a habit of educating herself, conducting high quality research on her and others’ families, summarizing results and conclusions, informing and teaching others, and organizing her work (my achilles’ heel). I hope that pursuing certification as a genealogist will help me to establish and improve habits in this area of my life so that I can be more helpful to my family members and others I may have the opportunity to serve. Another point James Clear mentioned is that accountability partners are necessary to developing a desired identity using atomic habits. Are you a potential accountability partner who also is on the path to certification in your particular professional field? Subscribe below, and let me know in the comments section if you need help staying on target.
- Board for Certification of Genealogists, “Certification Program: Why is Certification Needed?” Board for Certification of Genealogists (https://bcgcertification.org/overview/ : accessed 29 December 2023). ↩︎
The Genealogy Griot 