Half the battle of professionalism is showing up and doing it!

We've all been there: touring that art gallery with the overly-critical companion who insists "Hmph!  This is art worth millions of dollars?  I could do that on a scratch pad in bed as I'm falling asleep!", or at the auto garage with the same companion (who has never changed a vehicle's oil in their life) who is complaining that you are paying way too much for your full service oil change, or out to lunch with that same buddy of yours complaining that you shouldn't pay that much for a sandwich because they could make you a better one for 75% less money with ingredients from the grocery store.  I know this because for many years of my life I lived like this as well.  It was all about Why should I pay THAT when I could do it myself for cheaper?!  Doesn't everyone feel this way?  How in the world can this business that is charging people for this good/service stay in operation?!?!!?!!  Now, none of this means I have never looked for and appreciated deals.  Of course I always have!  But the point is, I have grown out of this attitude and see the bigger picture now.  I have learned to question that "overly-critical companion" with these questions: That's all well and good, but WILL YOU do it?!  or  Could you do it that well time after time with consistent results?  99% of the time the answer to either or both of these questions is a resounding "No".

You see, just because someone CAN do or produce something themselves cheaper than an option that is commercially available doesn't mean that they WILL, or, perhaps even more importantly, that they will WANT TO!   Going on a picnic to the park?  You can make a bag of ice in your freezer at home and dump it in your cooler.  Afraid to drink your tap water?  You can boil and filter your tap water yourself.  Looking for some aloe vera to dab on that bruise of yours?  Grow your own plant - aloe vera is (almost) about as foolproof and hardy as they come even for someone without a green thumb!  But despite all this, the bagged ice, bottled water, and commercially packaged ready-to-use aloe vera products industries are all thriving on a global scale in this modern 21st Century world we live in.

Are you scared your business idea will fail just because other people are doing it?  My advice: don't be.  Don't try to talk yourself out of a business idea just because it isn't the latest and greatest thing that no one else has thought of yet and there is going to be a fireworks show at your launch.  Just because you feel that the market is flooded, everyone either has it, can do it themselves, or won't pay you do to it isn't reason enough to throw in the towel (although these are mighty good thoughts take note of and keep in mind).  Just because what you have to offer is something that anyone (seemingly) could do or make for themselves doesn't mean that it isn't a viable business idea.

There are plenty of businesses out there in this world that offer goods and services "normal" "everyday" people could do or make for themselves.  And don't fall into the trap of thinking that all businesses of this nature are automatically all small struggling businesses with their owners living campgrounds!  In fact, many large corporations do this - from large agri-businesses, to large pharma, to mega international retail chains that sell things you could  do or make at your work bench or in your kitchen for pennies.  But yet these businesses thrive!

The whole point is: half the battle of being a professional and running your own business or gig is actually taking the time to start from the beginning with the first step and do it.  Sure, maybe you do something that anyone could do, but are they doing it?  No!  At least not all of them - and probably not even most of them!  Let's use the Internet as another example.  If you are my age or older you have witnessed the birth of the mainstream Internet (for the masses) as we know it now.  It is easy for someone my age or older to look at the world of making money online today in the 21st Century with a large dose of (dare I say, fairly healthy) skepticism and say that the world of e-commerce is flooded.  I didn't get in on ground floor in the 90s so now I'm out of luck!  Just type in the phrase make money online into a 21st Century search engine and look at all that millions of hits you get.  Everyone is doing it!  But I say, look on the flip side as well.  Just because you got a million hits for make money online, there are billions of people in this world, and more and more of them are still becoming connected to the Internet everyday (yes, it's true, still today).  So, no, when viewed in the proper context, no, not everyone is doing it. 

I mention James Clear a lot in my posts because I respect him.  If you don't know who he is (or even if you do know who he is and you want to see what he's up to now) take a look at this website and blog here.  A frequent point that Clear makes regarding getting anything done in life to a "professional standard" is that simply showing up to work on time, every time, without fail is one of the biggest marks of "professionalism" (in any industry or for any project) there is.