Milkyway Media - Summary of Steven Pressfields Turning Pro

Summary

of

Steven Pressfields

Turning Pro

Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Lifes Work

by

Milkyway Media

Table of Contents

For years, youve dreamed of achieving your lifes ambitions. Actual successes, however, fall far short of your daydreams. What if its not desire or capability thats lacking, but the willingness to fully commit?

In Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Lifes Work (2012), author Steven Pressfield expounds on his theories about what best encourages productivity and allows people to live up to their greatest potential.

There are two kinds of people: professionals and amateurs. Amateurs, though ambitious, are willing to sacrifice their true dreams in exchange for activities, interests, and addictions that are easier to tackle but far less fulfilling. Professionals, however, are willing to consistently pursue their goals while simultaneously giving themselves permission to make mistakes. Their ability to dedicate themselves fully to their true goals allows them to progress and grow in their careers, instead of stagnate. To become a professional, or turn pro, individuals must let go of maladaptive habits; they must also develop patterns that reinforce positive behavior and lead to incremental change. By changing their perspective on failure, success, and skill development, amateurs can truly learn how to flourish like a pro.

Ambition is one of the most important emotions a human can experience because pursuing ambitions is the only way to achieve lasting fulfillment. When people ignore their dreams and refuse to pursue their ambitions, they often end up silencing or ignoring deeply personal impulses and desires that, if fulfilled, would enhance their enjoyment of life. Often, however, its difficult for people to identify, much less work toward, their ambitions. The demands of everyday life are simply too great or overwhelming. The difficulty of resolutely pursuing ones true calling can make it hard to progress past the amateur state. But once people decide to acknowledge their ambition, instead of ignoring or subverting it, they can let go of any disappointment they harbor and begin finding steps toward greater happiness.

If amateurs dont embrace their ambition and decide to work toward it, they may end up simply pursuing a profession that allows them to survive or even prosper without actually utilizing the full extent of their talents. These inferior jobs and activities, called shadow careers, will encourage the amateur to settle for an acceptable life rather than strive for an extraordinary one. Although shadow careers usually provide more immediate payoff than striving to conquer a deeply held ambition, they will never provide the lasting fulfillment that pursuing ones true dreams will bring.

Ambitious professionals dont have to remain amateurs. To turn pro, amateurs must decide that comfort and familiarity are less important than deeper happiness. They must also decide to pursue their ambitions ruthlessly, even if it means losing the regard or company of friends, family, and respected coworkers. Turning pro isnt an easy process, but its a choice that anyone can make.

1. All professionals were amateurs at some point.
2. Most amateurs have compulsions that impede their ability to achieve their ambitions.
3. Addictions and poor habits often mask someones true calling.
4. Jealousy and comparing oneself to peers can prevent one from turning pro.
5. Self-hatred can prolong the amateur period and further ingrain maladaptive behaviors.
6. Turning pro allows amateurs to face long-held fears.
7. Getting started on a goal is more important than being perfect.
8. Professionals meet their goals by consistently committing to good work habits.

All professionals were amateurs at some point.

Analysis

While no one with ample ambition wants to be an amateur forever, its important to recognize that being an amateur is an important stage that all professionals must pass through. During their time as amateurs, professionals are given the chance to make mistakes, learn from failures, and try out careers and hobbies that may or may not align with their true ambitions. Without going through those periods of growth, amateurs will be unable to reach their full potential. Amateurs who are hoping to one day be professionals should extend compassion to themselves during periods of exploration and uncertainty; time and consistent dedication to self-improvement will allow amateurs to see which dreams will best fuel their desire to become a pro.

While being an amateur is a necessary stage of development, its also important to remember that its a temporary one. People who dont become professionals get trapped at the amateur level because they failed to focus on actions which would best aid the completion of their goals. Amateurs should be patient with themselves, but should use constant self-examination and positive habits to ensure that unhealthy patterns dont become permanently ingrained rituals.

Most amateurs have compulsions that impede their ability to achieve their ambitions.

Analysis

Everyone struggles with maladaptive impulses and habits. Amateurs, however, have habits that inhibit their ability to take steps toward their eventual goals. These habits, when not mitigated, can become addictions that distract amateurs from their ambitions. These habits can distract by taking up too much time, or by providing some sense of accomplishment that pacifies the amateurs desire to achieve something. Once amateurs are addicted to something, they will have a more difficult time taking steps toward fulfilling the goals that would bring them greater personal and professional happiness.

Addictions are easy to form, in part, because they can be fun. Being a professional requires a great amount of focus and discipline, whereas addictions simply kill time while simultaneously providing enjoyment. To lessen the strength of an addiction, an aspiring professional must find a way to make distraction and procrastination less appealing.

Addictions and poor habits often mask someones true calling.

Analysis

One reason that addictions are so alluring is that they are a tempting form of resistance, the mental process by which the brain tries to ignore ambition out of fear of failure. Addictions become weak replacements for actual ambitions, allowing amateurs to ignore their deeper desires indefinitely. For example, an amateur who dreams of exploring the world and seldom-traveled locations might decide that he should take a job that requires frequent business trips. That decision may seem like a good idea, but his work responsibilities will make it difficult for him to actually experience the places he visits, and most of his business trips will take him to business centers in other countries, rather than remote locations. Many addictions are so close in nature to the potential rewards of a persons higher calling that they can even seem like a worthy replacement for the amateurs original goal; over time, however, the addiction will not bring the same satisfaction that pursuing the original goal would bring. If amateurs are unable to turn pro, then they are far more likely to form addictions that faintly resemble their dreams.

Humans fixate on addictions instead of their work because completing ones life ambitions is an intimidating prospect. For example, instead of attempting to figure out what she wants most, a woman with substance abuse disorder might decide to simply continue her maladaptive compulsions. Unlearning compulsive, negative behaviors is a process that takes ample amounts of work, which can make it easier to settle for unhealthy habits and immediate rewards instead. When attempting to overcome bad habits, an amateur should remember that pursuing ones true calling may be difficult at times.