I Became an Atlassian Specialist… But Not the Way I Expected

[#1]

At the beginning of this year, I set myself a goal: become an Atlassian ITSM Specialist.

I had a specific plan to get there. One of the certifications in that path was the ACP-420, Jira Service Management Project Administration, so I studied, prepared, scheduled the exam… and failed.

I'm not ashamed of that. I tried, it didn't work out, and after taking some time to process the disappointment, I moved on.

A few months later, Atlassian introduced new free certifications. The Specialist paths themselves remained the same, but these new certifications could also be used to complete their requirements.

I completed the new requirements, and then I received an email from Atlassian telling me something I honestly wasn't expecting:

I had earned two Specialist designations — ITSM Specialist and Agile DevOps Specialist.

My first reaction was: Is this a mistake?

I checked my certification profile. Then I checked my Atlassian Community profile.

They were there.

They were real.

And yet, something surprised me.

I didn't feel the way I had imagined I would feel when I finally became a Specialist.

I was happy, of course. But it wasn't the same feeling I had when I passed an ACP.

There was something different about the achievement for me.

Not because the designations weren't valid — they are. In fact, I even told some colleagues about the new certifications so they could take advantage of the opportunity too.

The difference was simply that this wasn't how I had imagined reaching my goal.

I had spent months thinking about becoming a Specialist, failed an exam along the way, accepted the disappointment, and then eventually reached the goal through a different route than the one I had originally planned.

That made me wonder:

Does the way we reach a goal affect how we feel when we finally achieve it?

I'm not asking which path is better, or which one requires more effort.

I'm genuinely curious about the experience itself.

Have you ever achieved something important in a way that was different from what you originally expected?

Did it change how you felt about the achievement?

I'm not asking which certifications are better, which path is more difficult, or whether a professional certification has more value than a free one. All of these certifications and designations are valid.

What I'm really interested in is something much more personal:

When you achieve the same goal through a different path — whether it takes more effort, less effort, or simply a different kind of effort — does it feel the same when you finally get there?

I'd really like to hear how others experience this.

[Cristian Quiroz]

Hey @Marcelo Montaño Sánchez

I loved reading this, because I went through the exact same thing.

In fact, looking at your profile, I realized we share the same certifications and designations. Same path, same outcome, same mixed feelings.

When I saw the Specialist designations appear on my profile, my first reaction was also surprise. Part of me wished it had cost more; a harder exam, a longer grind, something that would have made the moment feel more "earned" in the traditional sense.

But here's what I've come to believe: the designations are real, and so is the work behind them. The fact that the route changed doesn't erase the months we spent learning, practicing, and working with these tools every single day. Our hands-on experience with the Atlassian ecosystem is what truly validates the specialty; not just the specific exam we passed or didn't pass.

And honestly? This should motivate us even more. If anything, it's a reminder that we're already operating at that level. Now the challenge is to keep going; take the next ACP, push further, and let each new certification reinforce what we already know from experience.

I'm planning to sit for the exam too. Not because I need it to prove the Specialist title is valid, but because I want to keep building on what Atlassian gave us the opportunity to demonstrate.

So don't stop. Keep earning, keep learning.

We got here; now let's see how much further we can go. 

[Rilwan Ahmed]

Hi @Marcelo Montaño Sánchez ,

In personal:

• A goal achieved through struggle may feel deeply rewarding because it tested the patience, resilience, and the skill.
• A goal achieved through a different path than a planned can feel surprising, bittersweet, liberating, or even disappointing, depending on how attached and the intention we are to the original path.

Regarding Atlassian Certifications and Designations:

Things were quite different a few years ago. Most certifications were paid, and candidates typically gained hands-on experience, practiced extensively, and invested time in learning before attempting the exams. Passing a certification genuinely felt like a significant achievement.

Nowadays, many certifications and learning paths are available for free. While this has made learning more accessible, it has also led to people earning designations even when they have limited experience with the Atlassian platform. As a result, certifications no longer carry the same level of distinction for me, and I find myself less impressed by achievement posts shared on LinkedIn.

[Brita Moorus]

I really liked reading this 😊 I think sometimes we picture not only the goal, but also exactly how we’re going to get there. When the path turns out differently, even a great achievement can feel a little unexpected.

But you still got there  and maybe the detour makes the story even more meaningful. Congratulations on both Specialist designations! 🎉

[Marcelo Montaño Sánchez]

Hi @Cristian Quiroz 

Thank you for sharing this. It’s interesting to see that you experienced something very similar, especially that initial feeling when the designations appeared on your profile.

And I completely agree that the designations are valid and that our hands-on experience is what truly gives meaning to them. That was actually an important distinction I wanted to make in my article.

I wasn’t questioning the value of the designations or comparing which path is better, harder, or more valid. I was mainly curious about that personal feeling: when you achieve something through a different path than the one you originally expected, does the achievement feel the same?

It’s great to know I’m not the only one who experienced that mixed feeling. And yes, now we keep learning and see where the next challenge takes us! 😊

[Marcelo Montaño Sánchez]

Hi @Rilwan Ahmed 

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful perspective. I really like your point about how achieving a goal through a different path can feel surprising, bittersweet, liberating, or even disappointing depending on how attached we were to the original path.

I think that's what makes these experiences so interesting. The outcome can be exactly what we hoped for, yet our feelings about it can still be different because the journey was not the one we originally imagined.

I also appreciate your perspective on how the certification landscape has evolved. It certainly makes this an interesting time to reflect on what these achievements mean to each of us.

Thank you again for sharing your experience. 😊

[Marcelo Montaño Sánchez]

Hi @Brita Moorus 

Thank you so much! 😊 I really like the way you put it: sometimes we picture not only the goal, but also exactly how we’re going to get there.

And I think that unexpected path is what made me reflect on the achievement in the first place. Maybe the detour really does make the story more meaningful.

Thank you for sharing your perspective and for the congratulations! 🎉