1. The Context: Why am I awake?
It is 12:50 a.m. and everyone else is asleep.
I am recording this and writing this down because I need to solidify what I have learned. If I am just consuming knowledge without understanding it or creating from it, then what is the point?
I was reading The War of Art, specifically Book Two on “Turning Pro.” Steven Pressfield argues something that triggered a chain of thoughts in me.
- The Amateur plays for fun. They love the thing, but they treat it like a toy.
- The Professional does the work for the sake of the work itself.
This hit me hard because I realized that if the amateur loves it so much, why don’t they do it 24/7? Because they lack the structure to sustain it.
2. The Connection: Linking Pressfield to Krishna
As I sat with Pressfield’s idea of “Do the work for the sake of the work,” my mind immediately went to the Bhagavad Gita.
It is exactly what Lord Krishna said.
“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.”
When the work itself becomes the reward, the quality naturally improves. This is Karma Yoga.
This is what Jerry Seinfeld meant with his calendar when he said “Don’t Break The Chain.” His focus wasn’t on the “outcome” of a funny joke. His focus was on the “duty” of filling the box.
3. The Synthesis: The “Glass and Water” Mental Model
So I have the “Fun” of the Amateur and the “Duty” of the Professional. I looked to see what Austin Kleon had to say, and that’s when the dots finally connected into a single mental model.
I don’t need to choose. I need to become a Professional Amateur.
Here is the analogy that makes sense of it all:
- The Professional is the Glass (Container): It is rigid, structured, and consistent.
- The Amateur is the Water (Creativity): It is fluid, chaotic, and alive.
Why I need both:
A. Without the Glass (No Professionalism)
The water spills everywhere. This is “Amateur Failure.” My creativity has no direction and no output is generated. Just like when I couldn’t generate output before because I had no container.
B. Without the Water (No Amateur Spirit)
The glass is empty and cold. This is “Professional Burnout.”
This connects directly to what my friend Rohan told me. He specifically said he wants to work with creators because he does not want to join the corporate world. He fears that if he joins corporate, the environment will suck the creativity out of him. He would be left with just the editing skill, editing for money rather than for passion or the love of the art.
That is the trap. If I become too rigid and machine-like, I lose the very thing that makes the work worth doing.
The Strategy:
Use the habits of a Professional (Glass) to protect the soul of an Amateur (Water).
ALSO READ: The execution container that protects your creative energy: https://dewanshjain.com/the-3×3-system/
4. The Application: The 1:00 A.M. Proof
This isn’t just theory. This is happening right now.
It is 1:00 a.m. on a weekend.
The “Amateur” in me is passionate about this idea. I am excited, I am making connections, I am authentic.
But the “Professional” in me is the one who actually sat down, turned on the camera, and is now transcribing this note instead of sleeping.
I am applying “Ass to Chair.”
As Austin Kleon says, “If I don’t show up for creative work, I suffer. I’m not a whole person.”
I am not doing this for an audience right now. I am doing this because it is my duty to produce art. It is who I am.
5. The Final Shift: The Garden Analogy
To wrap this up and ensure I don’t get anxious about the results of this work, I need to remember the Garden Analogy.
You can think of this entire concept like planting a tree.
- My Control: Digging the soil, planting the seed, watering it (The Work).
- No Control: The sun, the rain, the season, or when the fruit appears (The Outcome).
If I plant the seed only because I am obsessed with eating the fruit right now, I will be miserable.
But if I plant the tree because gardening is my duty and my joy, I find peace.
ALSO READ: Why mastery is compounding reps, not instant outcomes: https://dewanshjain.com/the-stages-of-mastery-ultimate-guide/
Conclusion:
I have planted the seed tonight. I have watered it by writing this note. The fruit will come when it comes.
Success = Getting to do this again tomorrow.
