1st May 2012
Turn professional!
`You have to perform at a consistently higher level than others. That's the mark of a true professional.'
Joe Paterno
Have you heard the terms `professional writer', `professional photographer', `professional singer' etc? What does it mean to become a professional? Why is it important to become a professional?
The main difference lies in the quality of your work. If you are an amateur photographer, you need not be at your best. At least people will not expect the best from you. They will accept your pictures even if they are not good. But if you are a professional, people expect that you know your job thoroughly and they will not accept any mistake from you.
If you are a professional, you will take your job very seriously. May be your living will depend on the work you do. You will plan everything you do very meticulously. The other day I was reading a supplement about Sachin
Tendulkar, the cricket legend. There was a mention about how meticulous he is when choosing his bat and the play equipments.
Ask yourself the question: am I am professional in my field or am I amateur? If you are a professional, take it very seriously and benchmark your quality with a legend in the field and do a `gap assessment'. If the gap is too much, you will be edged out since the world will not accept any mediocrity!
N C Sridharan
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