A Professional Attidude Towards Life

Experiments in attitude-taking.

I came across David Chapman’s post on adult developmental lag in certain domains, specifically how some engineers lack a professional attitude towards social interactions at work. (Btw I love his writing & thinking, so highly recommend to check him out!)

Leveraging lag: engineers and salespeople

It reminded me of my own experimentation around taking a professional attitude, not only towards work but to life as a whole, most crucially towards emotions. (Even though the term “professional” sounds dry, soulless, or impersonal, it turns out to do quite the opposite for me.)

This line of thinking was inspired by a podcast episode on starting out as a writer. The guest (Robert Greene) advised to take a professional attitude towards writing endeavors, even (or especially!) if you are just starting out or writing for yourself.

This advice seems quite obvious, yet I could perceive a clear internal shift when I consciously took on this attitude.

What is it like?

What does the professional attitude actually consist of for me? Conceptually it is not immediately clear what it should entail, but the felt sense of taking the attitude seems quite concrete and unequivocal to me, like it hits a specific, available pre-set in my operating system.

(I am curious if you feel similarly! So feel free to take a moment to feel into what a “professional attitude” towards something in your life might be like.)

The professional attitude to me has a few distinct elements, and is actually quite related to what I described in Infinitely High Standards (minus the transcendental overtones):

Acceptance of discomfort

“Discomfort is unavoidable, but I trust my capacity to abide and manage it. I don’t complain or blame, but take responsibility. I give up comforting fantasies.”

This seems to be the first internal change to take hold. It feels like adulting (quite fitting since Chapman’s post refers to adult developmental theory.) There is a twinge of grief over letting go of my complaints, my hopes of being saved, and my righteous victimhood.

This is also, simply, not procrastinating. Ouch!

Maybe this could be called “vulnerability”?

Seriousness

“I orient towards the Good. Yes, I am cheesy. Yes, I have needs.”

Calm

“I don’t let my thoughts, feelings, or the world push me around. I deliberate.”

Enjoyment

“I get satisfaction from the acquisition and application of skill.”

Practical compassion and balance

“I honor human-ness, its powers, and limitations. I reject absolutes, like perfectionism.”

Writing this out I was surprised at the depth and breadth of these qualities. Certainly this list is very idiosyncratic and not complete.

In general, I am intrigued by the power of attitude-taking. Both in the example from my post linked above and here, the described attitudes appear subjectively quite clearly defined, like they are natural states I can settle into.

I want to try on this attitude more often. Will report back!

Until next time.

Bye for now.