Professionalism is what causes your bio for the school musical, rather than the usual "I was in Candide my Freshman year, and The Secret Garden my Sophmore year...", to say "Her stage credits include ..."

Professionalism as a religion is the death of the soul. If your life gets to the point where you mainly care about semicolons, you are dead. Living a life while holding down a job as a copy editor lies in striking a balance between clichés such as "striking a balance" and getting out and taking on that world--it's no cliché, it's the truth, as it is said.

Pro*fes"sion*al*ism (?), n.

The following of a profession, sport, etc., as an occupation; -- opposed to amateurism (though not always staunchly opposed, unless of course amateurism starts copping an attitude, in which case you can hardly blame it, can you?).

© Webster 1913.

[Editor's Note. When I saw the sentence in parentheses, I knew it could not be the work of Noah Webster. Let's face it: Some editors are very silly. The rest of the definition is identical to the definition of "Professionalism" that appears at the ARTFL Project.]