How To Move Into The Light of Your Work

In his book Turning Pro, Steven Pressfield writes:

“The shadow life is the life of the amateur. In the shadow life we pursue false objects and act upon inverted ambitions… The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits.”

Being a professional is by no means easy. It takes grit, focus, and hard work. Professionalism isn’t a piece of paper, an award, or an accolade, but rather a commitment.

A commitment to Self - yes, with a capital ‘S’.

Being professional comes from the inside out.

It requires us to show up fully day after day, aligned in our values, and taking inspired action.

I told you it wasn’t easy.

It’s worth noting that being a pro is not reserved for specific titles or industries, it’s all inclusive. Whether you’re a business owner, a parent, a writer, a salesperson, etc. we all have access to being professional at what we do.

Where we get lost is in the shadows - in the work that consumes us and distracts us from the work we were meant to do. The work that lights us up.

The work that calls to us.

More often than not, the shadows are a safe place to be. They allow us to stay hidden from fear, doubt, judgment, shame. If we stick to the shadows, we can’t fail or be called a fraud. Imposter syndrome isn’t in the shadows’ vocabulary. And so we carry on wondering why we aren’t feeling fulfilled at work, seeing our business grow, or our lives changing in a meaningful way.

In order to move forward out of the shadows and into the light of your work, from amateur to professional, a hard look at your habits is required.

What habits are keeping you from doing the work you want to do?

What repetitive response, action, or outcome are you creating that is not in line with what you want?

What are you not doing that you are being called to do?

Distractions disguise themselves as habits.

They keep us in our self when being a professional requires us to show up as our Self. They include (but are not limited to) negative self-talk, scrolling through Instagram, TV, mindless snacking, to name a few.

In bringing awareness to your habits, beware the habit trap. Don’t take the free pass: the “this is just the way I am” excuse. This is where the hard work starts. This is where grit comes in. This is where you get to choose where you focus your time and attention.

After all, habits are a choice.

You get to choose the habit you create and in turn, you choose the change you want to see in your life. If the first choice didn’t work out, make another. And another. Stay committed to the professional path - to showing up as your Self.

“The amateur is an egoist… The artist and the professional, on the other hand, have turned a corner in their minds. They have succeeded in stepping back from themselves.” - Steven Pressfield.

What is keeping you in the shadows of the life you want to live, the business you want to build, the career you want to create?

Kirsten Schmidtke is a professional coach, creator, and lover of lake life. She works with leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs to help them up-level their careers, businesses, and lives. Are you ready to explore what’s possible for you? Contact Kirsten to start the conversation!