But we have forgotten the root of the word. We have forgotten the soul of the amateur. And in doing so, we may have lost the very engine of innovation, passion, and learning.
If you decide to turn pro, do so carefully. Protect a sliver of amateur territory. Keep one project, one instrument, one sport, or one practice that you will never monetize. Something you do purely because it makes your heart beat faster. That sanctuary will keep you sane. Amateur
The professionals will never understand you. But we have forgotten the root of the word
What drives the Pro-Am is mastery for its own sake. And because they are unconstrained by market demands, they often innovate faster than the professionals. When a professional industry stalls in groupthink, the amateurs are outside the building, trying the ridiculous, impossible, genius thing that just might work. If you decide to turn pro, do so carefully
That is not a weakness. That is the most powerful thing a human being can do.