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Turning Pro Kindle Edition

by Steven Pressfield (Author), Shawn Coyne (Foreword) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 5,913
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The follow-up to his bestseller The War of Art, Turning Pro navigates the passage from the amateur life to a professional practice.

"You don't need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind."
--Steven Pressfield

TURNING PRO IS FREE, BUT IT'S NOT EASY.

When we turn pro, we give up a life that we may have become extremely comfortable with. We give up a self that we have come to identify with and to call our own.

TURNING PRO IS FREE, BUT IT DEMANDS SACRIFICE.

The passage from amateur to professional is often achieved via an interior odyssey whose trials are survived only at great cost, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. We pass through a membrane when we turn pro. It's messy and it's scary. We tread in blood when we turn pro.

WHAT WE GET WHEN WE TURN PRO.

What we get when we turn pro is we find our power. We find our will and our voice and we find our self-respect. We become who we always were but had, until then, been afraid to embrace and live out.
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  2. Publication date
    May 30, 2012
  3. Language
    English
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Pressfield is the author of Gates of Fire, Tides of War, The Afghan Campaign, The Profession, The Warrior Ethos, Do the Work, and The War of Art among others. He lives in Los Angeles. In 2008, he was made an honorary citizen by the city of Sparta in Greece.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0087TUM54
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Irish Books (May 30, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 30, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 248 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 148 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 5,913

About the author

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Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield

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Steven Pressfield is the author of The War of Art which has sold over a millions copies globally and been translated into multiple languages. He is a master of historical fiction with Gates of Fire being on the required reading list at West Point and the the recommended reading list of the Joint Chiefs. His other books include A Man at Arms, Turning Pro, Do the Work, The Artist's Journey, Tides of War, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, The Profession, The Lion's Gate, The Warrior Ethos, The Authentic Swing, An American Jew, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, and The Knowledge.

His debut novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance was over 30 years in the making. He hasn't stopped writing since.

Steve lives and writes in California. You can following him on IG @steven_pressfield. Sign up for his weekly writing newsletter at stevenpressfield.com

"It is one thing to study war, and another to live the warrior's life."

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
5,913 global ratings
Another classic from Pressfield
5 Stars
Another classic from Pressfield
Powerful follow up to one of the best books of all time; The War of Art
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Top reviews from the United States

ashlie jennings
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
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This book speaks volumes of connections to one’s life and how to strive to better
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Farnoosh Brock
5.0 out of 5 stars A symphony for the creative soul - must read
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2017
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Turning Pro: The symphony that creative soul is hungry for. So, so good!

By creative, we don't mean just the arts. By creative, we mean anyone who sets out to create a life outside of the normal path, without a map or guidebook. Turning Pro is about taking the amateur self, looking it in the eye, and deciding that enough is enough. We are now doing this and we're doing it damn well too. We are reaching the upper realms not through addiction or avoidance or distractions, but through Labor and Love.

I re-read Do The Work before reading Turning Pro to experience the combined effect. Do The Work speaks at length to the internal enemy, the Resistance. Turning Pro is focused more on the artist vs. the addict, the pro vs. the amateur, and how the answer to all our internal suffering and struggles in that path is to turn pro. Pressfield's own life story fills a few of his short two-page chapters, revealing that he has lived everything he preaches in this book.

One concept that will stick with me, I imagine, is that of "the shadow career", or even, "the shadow life". It's not our real career, our real work, our real life, the one we were truly meant to live. It is close to it but we're fooling ourselves, and fear and resistance help us keep up with the fooling. Say you do admin work for a startup company instead of starting your own, you are the assistant to the singer instead of taking your voice lessons, you are the editor for some publishing house instead of responding to your own calling to write. And these are just the obvious shadow careers. There are many more subtle ones that would take a harder look to identify. How do you KNOW you are living a shadow career or a shadow life? You just know. You know by how you feel at the end of the day or night. You know by how satisfied or empty you feel at the end of a work project. You just know, even if you refuse to admit it, deep down, you just know.

It is one of the best short reads on the human condition, the internal conflict and suffering, and the art of liberation through the act of turning pro. It reads like a symphony; Pressfield's writing is poetic, punchy, and powerful. What I'm beyond impressed with is the succinctness of this book and its immeasurable power. I can see how the author must have wanted to pull his hair out to get the book down to this size, and yet, it is complete. It is no less and no more than what it needs to be to say exactly what it wants to say.

Some of my favorite parts, in quotes:

(This sentence made me cry, not sure why) => What we get when we turn pro is, we find our power.

Turning pro is free, but it's not without cost. When we turn pro, we give up a life with which we may have become extremely comfortable. We give up a self that we have come to identify with and to call our own. Turning pro is free but it's not easy. You don't need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind.

The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. The professional has professional habits.

When we turn pro, we stop running from our fears. We turn around and we face them.

Next up: War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Stay tuned for the review.
106 people found this helpful
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Myke
4.0 out of 5 stars Bottom Line Approach to Moving from Amateur to Professional with No More Excuses
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2014
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Turning Pro may be a quick read, but it will quickly get to the core of suppressed dreams and unfulfilled passions. If you are an artist or writer who doesn't draw or write, this may be just what you need to face and own your talents and calling. If you are a musician who doesn't play or sing, or an entrepreneur who will write that business plan tomorrow, this book may well give you the not necessarily gentle nudge you need to Turn Pro. Now.

Pressfield makes clear distinctions between the amateur and the professional. "You don't have to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind." It is a choice, a decision, a commitment - not a long drawn out process. He warns that it is not easy. We will have to daily and consistently show up and do our best with no excuses or procrastination.

The amateur has many fears but the two that top the list are solitude and silence. The professionals seek these out in order to hear and capture their own unique voice, whether through writing, song writing, art . . . what ever their vehicle. The quality of the work might not be good immediately after they make the decision to go pro, but the effort will be immediate, consistent and ongoing. It will effect every aspect of their lives front the way they eat, exercise, spend their leisure time, as well as the hours they commit to studying and practicing and perfecting their craft.

The Pro will overcome 'Resistance', a force that Pressfield describes in more detail in his book the War of Art. Resistance is the force within each of us that will do anything it can to divert us from following our dreams. Procrastination, addictions, social pressures, and excuses are all forms of 'Resistance'. Resistance does have value. It points us in the direction of our calling, as whatever we are most resisting may well be the dream we are suppressing. There are other clues. It may be the writer that reads everyone else's books instead of writing her own. Or the gallery owner who coordinates shows for other artists but has never painted his own.

Turning Pro is not for everyone. The price is great. Friends and family may not understand the need for time alone to study, write, create, etc. Many may try to distract us from your efforts. Turning pro means no longer looking for validation in others. Turning Pro is a point of knowing in our hearts what we need to do to fulfill our passion and calling, and moving toward that goal with dedication, passion, order and commitment. Now.

I recommend this book to anyone seeking guidance, clarity, possibly a kick in the seat of the pants and the motivation to finally become who you are destined to be. We know who we are.
9 people found this helpful
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Sanchez Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars turning Pro!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2023
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This book clarifies what we as people already know we have inside of us. Majority of us are not willing to stand in faith or have courage enough to allow it to show or develop within us.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Trisha
5.0 out of 5 stars Super inspiring
Reviewed in Canada on October 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
I am so happy I bought this book on a whim. It has opened my eyes to what it is that I have been doing wrong in my pursuit of creating a meaningful life. A quick and easy read, but packed with crazy amounts of inspiration and a-ha moments!
One person found this helpful
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Venkatesh Rao
5.0 out of 5 stars The book spoke to me
Reviewed in India on February 16, 2024
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Yes, it did. Ego vs Self battle is what’s in your way of becoming a Pro, Be it a Professional artist, actor, or entrepreneur.
One person found this helpful
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Leandro Piccini
5.0 out of 5 stars Uma ótima complementação para A Guerra da Arte
Reviewed in Brazil on December 21, 2020
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Segundo livro que leio do autor e posso dizer que é um escritor fantástico, bem simples direto ao ponto e com orientações práticas.

Neste livro o autor procura deixar claro um conceito que iniciou em seu outro livro "A guerra da arte" a ideia de se tornar um Profissional. Segundo ele ao se tornar um profissional você consegue realizar seu trabalho de uma forma completa e sem ficar preso a procrastinação ou preguiça. Ao longo do livro o autor expões diversas ideias práticas para você se tornar um profissional.

Recomendo este livro principalmente para trabalhadores do conhecimento, escritores, pois mostra os passos necessários para que sua arte chegue ao mundo. Também recomendo para todos aqueles que querem desenvolver sua carreira e ter mais produtividade no dia a dia.
4 people found this helpful
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Heytem Boumaza
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind blowing
Reviewed in France on July 18, 2021
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A must read, you won't regret it
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Edith
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente, no es sólo motivación sino introspección
Reviewed in Mexico on March 6, 2020
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Excelente libro para cualquiera que quiere encontrarse a sí mismo a través de la batalla de su trabajo (ya sean artistas, científicos, músicos, cualquier profesión en la que hay que darle algo al mundo --idealmente, todas). Muy recomendable, si realmente quieres hacer lo que sea por cambiar y volverte pro.
One person found this helpful
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