Are
you a Professional?
How
you look, talk, write, act and work determines whether
you are a professional or an amateur. Society does not
emphasize the importance of professionalism, so people
tend to believe that amateur work is normal. Many businesses
accept less-than-good results.
Schools
graduate students who cannot read. You can miss 15% of
the driving-test answers and still get a driver license. "Just
getting by" is an attitude many people accept. But
it is the attitude of amateurs.
"Don't
ever do anything as though you were an amateur.
"Anything
you do, do it as a Professional to Professional standards.
"If
you have the idea about anything you do that you just
dabble in it, you will wind up with a dabble life. There'll
be no satisfaction in it because there will be no real
production you can be proud of.
"Develop
the frame of mind that whatever you do, you are doing
it as a professional and move up to professional standards
in it.
"Never
let it be said of you that you lived an amateur life.
"Professionals
see situations and they handle what they see. They are
not amateur dabblers.
"So
learn this as a first lesson about life. The only successful
beings in any field, including living itself, are those
who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves
and ARE professionals" — L. Ron Hubbard
A
professional learns every aspect of the job. An amateur
skips the learning process whenever possible.
A
professional carefully discovers what is needed and wanted.
An amateur assumes what others need and want.
A
professional looks, speaks and dresses like a professional.
An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.
A
professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly.
An amateur has a messy, confused or dirty work area.
A
professional is focused and clear-headed. An amateur
is confused and distracted.
A
professional does not let mistakes slide by. An amateur
ignores or hides mistakes.
A
professional jumps into difficult assignments. An amateur
tries to get out of difficult work.
A
professional completes projects as soon as possible.
An amateur is surrounded by unfinished work piled on
unfinished work.
A
professional remains level-headed and optimistic. An
amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.
A
professional handles money and accounts very carefully.
An amateur is sloppy with money or accounts.
A
professional faces up to other people’s upsets
and problems. An amateur avoids others’ problems.
A
professional uses higher emotional tones: Enthusiasm,
cheerfulness, interest, contentment.
An
amateur uses lower emotional tones: anger, hostility,
resentment, fear, victim.
A
professional persists until the objective is achieved.
An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.
A
professional produces more than expected. An amateur
produces just enough to get by.
A
professional produces a high-quality product or service.
An amateur produces medium-to-low quality product or
service.
A
professional earns high pay. An amateur earns low pay
and feels it’s unfair.
A
professional has a promising future. An amateur has an
uncertain future.
The
first step to making yourself a professional is to decide
you ARE a professional.
Are you a professional?
Copyright © 2006
TipsForSuccess.org. All rights reserved. Grateful acknowledgment
is made to L. Ron Hubbard Library for permission to reproduce
selections from the copyrighted works of L. Ron Hubbard." www.tipsforsuccess.org.
