Are you professional? Is your work professional? What exactly does
it mean to be professional and what can you do to become more professional?
A professional is a person who is worthy of the high standards of
a profession, vocation, or occupation requiring advanced training and involving
mental as well as physical work. The word standards implies that professionals
behave in ways that set them apart. And the word high implies that they
do these things better.
To behave consistently in ways that are better than the average—to
achieve high standards—is not easy. It requires that you persistently and
positively change and grow.
Your profession likely fills the largest part of your waking hours;
however, you need not work excessive hours to the detriment of your family. It’s
not about the quantity; it’s about the quality. To live life fully, you
need to use your time more effectively.
To allow time to pass you by is to waste much of your life. To coast
through, oblivious to the challenges to become more of what you can become, is
to squander rich opportunities for personal growth. To be less than serious about
your occupation is a shame.
Two Indicators
If you are serious about your work, your attitude will show itself
in the way that you behave. You act in two ways that show your commitment:
1. You want to do better in everything you do. You’ll exhibit
a never-ending quest to improve your performance in every variable, every project,
every transaction, every relationship, and every detail. I call this “personal
discontent.” Your status quo is never acceptable. That’s not to say
that you can’t celebrate and enjoy your success. You certainly should. But
after you’ve congratulated yourself for your excellent performance, take
a deep breath, and recommit to doing it better next time.
2. You seek opportunities and relationships that challenge you to
grow. You distinguish yourself by your dedication to personal growth. It’s
one thing to be discontent; it’s another to do something about it. And,
while you may be discontent about your circumstances, you realize that your skills,
attitudes, and behaviors shape your circumstances. So, the solution to changing
your circumstances is, ultimately, to change yourself. Seek guidance and direction
from your mentors. Implement the ideas and skills you gain from training. Always
be reading something that prompts you to grow. Try something different, to stretch
out of your comfort zone, knowing that the stretch will cause you to build capabilities. PE
