Professionalism only appears under pressure

Athletes know this by heart. You might have talent, but one thing is being the best playing at the local league, and completely another when playing at the premier league.

When playing locally the pressure is barely noticeable, not many people watching, low competition, playing mostly for free. If you lose, it is not much of a big deal.

Now, playing in the premier league is way different. Many people are watching, fearless competition, and big money is on the table. Losing here is a big deal.

Anyone will perform worse when the stakes are higher. Working under pressure is way harder than you might think. Most people can't move beyond this point. Great players at the local league, but bad at the premier.

Talent is only helpful when getting started. Professionalism takes you to play with the best.

When you look at any premier league match, you are not looking at talented people, you are looking at professionals doing their job.

This is true for every occupation, you might be dealing with a difficult client, running out of money to pay the bills, or having a hard time with a shift in the job market. These are times when professionals show up and do their job at their best. When you can feel the pressure in the air, professionals do their job despite the pressure.