We often get confused between professional and famous.
When a homeowner hires a pro house painter, she expects that person to show up on time, respect her property, clean up after themself, and finish the work according to the agreed-upon schedule. The painter doesn’t need to be a galleried artist.
When a manager hires a pro software developer, he expects that person to follow the team’s methodology, work to the schedule, respect (but not always agree with) the other team members, and know how to use the tools. The developer doesn’t need to have worked at Google, built their own successful social media app, or have a Ph.D. in computer science.
When a small business owner hires a pro accountant to file the tax return, she expects that person to ask her the right questions, know the applicable tax codes, know how to use the tools, and file on time. The accountant doesn’t need to have graduated from a famous school with a 4.0 in accounting.
We shouldn’t expect all the pros we hire to be famous or credentialed by the famous. But we all know a pro when we see one.
The pro brings a system and knowledge. The pro respects the people, the work, and time. The pro leaves it better than they found it.
You may not be famous or world-class (if such a thing could be measured), but you can certainly be a pro.
Go be a pro. You can’t control famous.
