Spend a little time on platforms like LinkedIn and you will notice a curious pattern. People introducing themselves as Former CEO, Ex ABC company, Retired director XYZ etc.

Experience matters, of course. Individuals who have risen to senior positions and/or have been part of prestigious firms are extremely competent individuals. They need to take pride in their achievements and hence the same should absolutely be documented in a CV or on a LinkedIn profile.

That is exactly where professional history belongs, as a record of the roles you have held, the organisations you served, and the work you have done.

But there is an important difference between recording experience and building your identity around it.

When a past role becomes the headline of who you are, it suggests that the centre of gravity of your professional life lies in the past rather than the present.

LinkedIn often amplifies this tendency. The headline which is the most visible part of the profile sometimes becomes a place to showcase former titles.

Instead of signalling what someone is thinking about, learning, or contributing today, the emphasis remains on a chapter that has already closed.

Titles, after all, belong to organizations but identity belongs to individuals.

Every role is temporary. Companies evolve, industries change, people move and eventually everyone is replaced. What remains is not the title but the person. Their judgement, their curiosity, and their ability to keep contributing in new ways.

Clinging too tightly to old titles can also discourage reinvention. When your sense of self is tied to a past designation, it becomes harder to explore new directions or begin a different chapter.

The most interesting professionals are rarely about what they used to be. Their past is visible in their CV or profile, where it belongs, but their identity is anchored in what they are doing, exploring, or building today.

Your past can give you credibility. But it should not become your identity!