Professionalism is not a status.
It’s not a title. It’s not a business card. Professionalism is an ethos, an action, a way of life.
You define your professionalism. The economy, the market, the weather—these are things you can’t control. The only thing that you have complete control of is yourself. Every day you define your professionalism. It’s in the way you wake up, get dressed. It’s in the way you go to work and then, get to work. Professionalism can’t be attained overnight. You can’t throw on a suit and call it day.
The key to professionalism is commitment. You need to live your life—every day—the way you need to live it in order to be the professional that you want to be.
What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional writer?
The amateur relies on inspiration to get started but loses the spark and doesn’t follow through. The professional sits down and writes every day. Good or bad, they put their hands to work and get the job done. Their inspiration, their genius, arises inevitably from the everyday action they undertake.
What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional musician?
The amateur is enthralled by glitz and glamour, style over substance. The amateur eschews work ethic in favor of the ‘lifestyle’. The amateur burns out. The professional gets to the studio and works, all day. The professional rehearses for their live shows, they commit to the perfection of their craft. The professional lasts.
What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional real estate agent?
That’s up to you.
