Whether you’re pursuing a career or trying to get better at something, it’s a challenge to go from an amateur to a professional.
We typically use the term “turning pro” in sports to indicate that someone has leveled up and reached the status of a professional.
It’s a significant jump in ability, skill, and competency to become a recognized professional in your field, whatever it may be.
But the term can be misleading. It can incorrectly suggest that turning pro represents a singular point in time when you hit a milestone and become a professional.
The journey from amateur to professional is more than a single step. As someone who made the successful jump from the amateur circuit to fighting in the UFC, becoming a professional is about building a good foundation.
In this post, I’ll share 7 tips to help you go from amateur to professional. Hopefully, this can help you unlock new opportunities and accelerate your journey to success.
Build a Routine
Following a routine is the hallmark of every successful professional.
When you think about the greatest performers – from Royce Gracie to Georges Saint Pierre to Khabib Nurmagomedov – they stick to the individual routines that they’ve built throughout the years.
Despite the surprises or unforeseen challenges that may occur from time to time, having a routine keeps them in control of each day, week, month, and year.
They eliminate distractions to ensure they have the optimal environment. This allows them to focus and follow their routines.
Pros establish a routine and stick to it. Own each day.
Self-accountable
When things go wrong, professionals are the first to own up to their shortcomings and flaws.
They are harsh and self-critical, often to a fault. But that makes them responsible and accountable.
Professionals don’t waste time blaming others and instead work with them to identify mistakes and rectify them swiftly.
If you find yourself pointing figures after failing, it’s time to look in the mirror.
Change your mindset and be accountable to yourself. If you want success, you have to own the failures that come with it as well.
Love the process not the results
8x Mr Olympia and bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman once said “Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weight!”
Like Rome, a good physique is not built in a day. Professionals focus on the process because they know the consistent effort of small actions over time can lead to enormous gains.
Winning may be the goal but the path to victory requires dedication, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to a routine and process.
Fall in love with the process. Sometimes, the hunt can be as fun as the kill.
Show up everyday
Amateurs can sometimes produce spurts of energy. Pros are known for their relentless work ethic.
Rain or shine, they are practicing and working on their craft. They see each day as an opportunity to progress and improve.
Day in, day out is a mantra that professionals live by. Though it can be challenging to love the grind, professionals take pride in showing up to work.
Don’t let moods or feelings take away the value of persistence. Show up and put in the work!
One kick practiced 10,000 times
Bruce Lee said “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
Professionals recognize their strengths and deliberately build on them to create unique advantages.
The best fighters that I know leverage their strengths and force you to play their game.
Professionals not only exploit their strategic advantages, they set the stage and create the right situations to favor themselves.
Like a knife with the sharpest edge, they attack with precision.
Instead of having mediocre and average execution of 20 moves, all you need is a few solid techniques in your arsenal.
Delayed gratification
Professionals understand the value of delayed gratification.
They willingly forgo short-term rewards to obtain long-term benefits.
Amateurs are reactionary and sometimes press early or give in to short-term gratification. The professional is strategic. They observe their opponent and strike when the right opportunity presents itself.
Amateurs are overly concerned with the idea of progress and believe that they need to be constantly moving forward.
Professionals are patient and consider their moves carefully. Sometimes they may take two steps back just to move four steps ahead in the future.
Know what you don’t know
Professionals are not concerned about being right. Instead, they aim to get it right.
Instead of deflecting as some amateurs may do, they have no qualms about admitting that they’re wrong or that they don’t know something.
Professionals don’t want to be the smartest person in the room because they have nothing to gain.
Instead, professionals seek opportunities to learn new ideas and embrace an open mindset.