Mike, interesting post.  Really like the idea of owning your own situation and creating your masterpiece.  I find that we often feel like victims of what we believe to be imposed circumstances.  Yet I think it is much more often true that we tend to impose those circumstances on ourselves by affirming the situation and constraints others have placed upon us.  Or in your words, "labels."

Found your post ties in nicely with a Chris Brogan post of a few days ago, "You are the Captain."  His point parallels yours in that we have to take control of our situation and create the outcome we want.  Not allow others to pigeonhole us into roles we can or can't play (according to them). Growing into better managers or leaders, or more aptly, some combination of the two, is a process each individual must own for themselves.