What Is A Professional?
In his recent book Turning Pro, Steven Pressfield listed the habits and qualities that the professional possesses that the amateur doesn’t:
The professional shows up every day
The professional stays on the job all day
The professional is committed over the long haul
For the professional, the stakes a high and real
The professional is patient
The professional seeks order
The professional demystifies
The professional acts in the face of fear
The professional accepts to excuses
The professional plays it as it lays
The professional is prepared
The professional does not show off
The professional dedicates himself to mastering technique
The professional does not hesitate to ask for help
The professional does not take failure or success personally
The professional does not identify with her or her instrument
The professional endures adversity
The professional self-validates
The professional reinvents herself
The professional is recognized by other professionals
Being a protector and getting left of bang - whether you are in the military, a cop, or in the security industry - requires that you are a pro. Ask yourself if you meet these criteria.
Work taken from page 90-91 of: Pressfield, Steven. Turning Pro. New York: Black Irish Entertainment, 2012.