What Does It Mean When You are “Going Pro®”? By: Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE

06 Dec

What Does It Mean When You are “Going Pro®”?

By: Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE

A professional is not defined by the business he is in, but rather by the way he is in business.

In other words, how he does it.

Here are the 5 defining factors in whether you are a Professional in your field:

You are Highly Educated for what you do.
Your education is Never-ending, Life-long and Continual.
You do it as a Service to others.
You do it for Pay.
You perform according to a set of Ethical Standards.

If you are a true Pro, then those five qualifiers apply to you.

You can choose to turn Pro in your field. No matter what you do for a living, you can choose to become a professional at doing it. But, be aware, when you declare that you are “Going Pro®”, the rules you operate by, and the expectations placed upon you will rise. Amateurs and hobbyists don’t operate by the same rules. A Pro intentionally takes on more responsibility and accountability in order to advance.

Step one in Going Pro® is to select your level of aspiration. How high on the mountain do you want to climb? We all aspire to something that is better than where we are today, but the highest levels of achievement require much more commitment from you than the lower ones.

To which of these levels do you aspire in your field?