The highest aspiration and recognition of ability is to become a professional.

This is most easily understood with athletic endeavors.  Someone is recognized as being an incredible athlete and one of the best in their particular sport if they turn pro.  As we grow up, play sports and practice, that is always the dream.

A little less obvious, but similar is in the area of hobbies or artistic endeavors.  If we love to bake, woodworking, painting, playing guitar or some other activity, those we recognize as having the greatest skills receive some type of compensation for their efforts.  Once you get paid to do these things it validates your skill because someone else acknowledged your abilities.  They even appreciated your talent so much they were willing to pay their hard earned money as recognition.

The least obvious, but most widely applicable is our actual job.  If you are being paid to do your job, which is pretty common, then you are being recognized as having a valuable skill worthy of payment.   Yet, I would venture a guess that it is rare that we think about our job performance the same way we think about these athletic or artistic endeavors.  I doubt we think about practicing our job or working to get better on a regular basis the way we expect people with these other professions.  What if we did change our perspective to strive to be the best in the world at our particular job?  How would that change your outlook on each and every day?

You may be thinking and trying to argue that your job is not that unique and does not require unique talent the way playing basketball or piano might.  If so, allow me to counter with some things to think about.

Don’t think so simply about your job.  I can play basketball and piano, just not very well.  So, in a binary, yes or no context I could argue that I could do those jobs too.  The difference comes from unique capabilities and dedication to the craft.  Those highest level practitioners have put in hours of thought, focused attention, practice and perfecting the details.  There is a degree to which this is true for your job as well.  With thought, focused attention, practice and obsessive dedication to the details, you can be one of the best in the world at your craft.

The people identified as the best in the world at sports and art have exposed themselves to the criticism of others.  They are continually coached, trained and critically evaluated by scouts, coaches, fans, reviewers, etc.  This criticism has made them better, then allowed others to sing their praises, recognizing their skill.  Again, your job has this element of truth.  If you expose your performance to the criticism of others such as your supervisor, peers and direct reports, you can both improve and receive recognition where you excel.

People in these professions are in these positions because it is the perfect fit for their skills.  It is the exact place where their best abilities align with their best opportunities.  They have pared their life down to the few unique talents at which they are best, then doggedly pursued the refinement of these same talents.  What are your best talents?  Does your job highlight and require these same talents?  If not, what position might better align?  Why don’t you try and do that instead?  If so, congratulations!  Now, how determined are you to be the absolute best in the world at this job?

After all, you are a professional, the highest level of performance possible for your craft, so I expect you to be the best.