Amateur to Professional

[9 Micky Mouse]

What does it take to go from an amateur to a professional statis as far as shooting, instructing?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[SIXTO]

Experiance, both on the street and in classroom, range etc.

[JudoJake]

Master the basics.

I can take you shooting, get out my MP5 fully automatic submachine gun, and (maybe) impress you with moving and shooting, magazine changes, transitions and things like that. Maybe I don't miss a single round. In fact maybe just for grins, I write my initials in the target on full auto.

Now as good as all of that might look and as advanced as that might look; if I muzzle sweep you, or hand you a loaded weapon, after the demo, then I've lost all credibility and I don't look very professional at all. Here is where they tune you out and don't listen to you anymore.

The secret to being good is that their is no secret. Master the safety rules. Many people think that since they are "advanced" shooters, that the safety rules don't always apply to them. Not true. Practice what you preach. Anything you do as an instructor, you are giving your students permission to do.

For example: I used to have a cool way of unloading the gun. I would take the magazine out, place it in the pinkie finger of my gun hand, then rack the remaining round into my support hand. It worked great and looked cool.

The problem was this wasn't a basic skill and wasn't the safest way to unload the gun. But I liked it. I have since realized that I was telling my students to do it one way and then doing it a different way myself. This is not a mark of being a professional. Now I unload it just like I tell them to. It shows them that I have confidence in what I am teaching, and I practice what I preach.

[jwr747]

in any sport or endevor you go from amature to pro,when you start getting paid for what you do and make a living at it. jwr

[ntkb]

Pros make their living at what they are doing. Like doctors and lawyers they are professionals. They practice law and medicine.
We on the other hand just work for a living. And need to do it right the first time or get fired.

[rachilders]

in any sport or endevor you go from amature to pro,when you start getting paid for what you do and make a living at it. jwr

That just about sums it all up.

That being said, there are a lot of amatures who know a lot more and are much more "qualified" than many so-called pro's, so don't take it for granted or assume that a professional - somebody who's getting paid - has all the (correct) answers until they have demonstrated it to your satisfaction.

[Supertac45]

Money.

[OD*]

Money.

BINGO!

[Ram Rod]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jwr747 View Post
in any sport or endevor you go from amature to pro,when you start getting paid for what you do and make a living at it. jwr
That just about sums it all up.

That being said, there are a lot of amatures who know a lot more and are much more "qualified" than many so-called pro's, so don't take it for granted or assume that a professional - somebody who's getting paid - has all the (correct) answers until they have demonstrated it to your satisfaction.

I'll agree with that. I have no aspirations to become a professional. Amateurs keep learning and the day I quit to learn is the day life has no meaning to me.
__________________

[SIXTO]

Money.

True enough, but any yahoo with a 4 hour pony show NRA certificate can make a few bucks with a class. To me, a true pro is someone who can not only teach the material, he can also do and has done.

[OD*]

To me, a true pro is someone who can not only teach the material, he can also do and has done.

And it takes money (lots of, normally) to obtain their services.

Maybe I mistook Supertac45's intentions.

[SIXTO]

One thing that really bothers me is a lot of "instructors" resumes are nothing more than classes they have attended. Thats nice and everything, but it doesnt mean much of anything if you are a real pro.
I don't really care that you attended some tourist attraction, tell me what have done in the real world.