Professional is not a label you give yourself - it's a description you hope others will apply to you.

No one can manage you if you don't give them permission to do so. But if you are interested in accomplishing as much as you are capable of, then I believe there are good reasons to grant that permission.

A true professional feels no pressure to run up a client's bill, knowing that any reduction in revenues caused by being efficient will be more than recompensed by the reputation earned for being honest and trustworthy.

Focus on being the best you can at what you want to do.

When did you feel most fulfilled? When did you impress yourself, or otherwise feel most proud of yourself?

You cannot and should not try to please everyone. Make sure that the right people like you, and it will be expected that others will not. That's how the world works.

What is important is what inspires persistence and determination- in other words what you care about.