There is a distinct difference between a professional and an amateur mindset. A pro realizes practice is neverending. A pro seeks opportunity, and doesn’t sit around waiting for them. And a pro doesn’t just accept training, but embraces it. In his bestseller, “Turning Pro”, author Steven Pressfield explains the sacrifices and rewards of moving from amateur to a professional mindset.
Recently, our Betterment Circle members dove into the book and Cole Hubble, Production Manager of Tim O’Brien Homes in Milwaukee, read Pressfield’s book and shared his thoughts with me. He summed up the essence of “Turning Pro” and I want to share his insight with you.
“My take away from this book is that turning pro is the easiest yet hardest “decision” one can make. Yes, it’s a decision in simplest form, but with this “decision” you must completely change your life in every single facet. You must wake up every single day and repeatedly make the decision that you are a professional!!!”
“I compare being an amateur to being immature. You’re like an adolescent not able to think and speak for yourself. You constantly look to others for guidance, approval, & fulfillment. You don’t think & speak for yourself but instead change like a chameleon depending on the peers you are with. You have no direction, discipline, plan, patience, structure, or any qualities of a professional. You just want to fit in and belong to a “tribe”. You allow fear to dictate your day and are perfectly content with that. You have zero accountability and no goals. You constantly live in your own shadow and never grow out from it. You have terrible habits that interfere with your potential. You are floating through life like a feather guided by the wind and will allow the wind to take you where it pleases.”
“A professional is compared to that of a mature adult. You are able to dictate your life and resist complacency. You carve your own path and go against the grain. Professionals grow sick of the petty bullshit & do something about it. Professionals face the same fears that amateurs do but the difference is, they confront their fears & over come it. They have discipline and make the decision every single day to be a professional instead of waiting for the “inspiration” to finally build up the nerve to take action. The professional works & the amateur tweets. The professional stomps out the shadow career and life that they’ve been living in and steps out into the light where they know they are meant to be. They become their true selves and start obtaining the potential they were created to attain. A Professional’s habits are what really separates the two.”
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