In the book, The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield talked about what separates amateurs from professionals and how a professional became who they are.

I will write about what these aspects mean to me personally.

The professional is patient

Given the pro is committed to the long haul, he understands the expectation of overnight success is not realistic. Experiencing the constant emotional roller-coaster can be exhausting, the pro fortifies his own mindset and keeps things in proper perspective at all time.

The professional seeks order

The pro sets himself up for success by organizing a productive work environment. In the work environment, the pro can minimize the noises (physical or mental) and focus on his mission.

The professional demystifies

The pro sees that the technique of his craft is the only area that he totally controls. He seeks to maximize his effort in figuring out the how-to. There are other aspects of his craft that he cannot control fully. For those aspects, he works with them but does not lose sleep over what he cannot influence.

In the book, The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield talked about what separates amateurs from professionals and how a professional became who they are.

I will write about what these aspects mean to me personally.

The professional shows up every day.

The pro shows up, not just for the sake of being there. The pro shows up and is ready to do his work.

The professional stays on the job all day.

The pro has a lot to do every day, either working with someone else’s directions or working on his own ideas. The pro may balance his work with other non-work priorities, but he is committed to his work by seeing things through.

The professional is committed over the long haul.

The pro does it because he believes he can add value to other’s work or lives. The impact of his work often may take a long time to realize or become visible.

The professional recognizes the stakes are high and real.

It may not be purely for the survival of ourselves and family. The pro recognizes that, if his work does not carry the personal stake and importance, he probably is in a wrong line of work.