Let's face it, being or becoming a good musician is tough. Theory, harmony, arranging, ear training, composing, history, sight-reading, instrument related technical skills, embouchure, stylistics, improvisation, ensemble playing... the list seems endless. One can spend several lifetimes and still not perfect all aspects of music. And I don't believe that it is necessary to be perfect. Most, if not all of us, have weaknesses in some areas, and thus we practice and continually strive to get better.

However, I believe that there is one important aspect that a lot of us neglect, even though it may very well be a deciding factor in determining the success of your career. I'm talking about a professional attitude.

With a small amount of effort, the right attitude can potentially give a huge boost to a musician's career. You may be hired for a gig over a better player simply because you're a pleasure to work with. On the other hand, an excellent player may not get the gig because no one can stand him/her. Musical excellence is not a substitute for a professional attitude.

I believe this is especially true for musicians that have realized that music is not about proving something, but about enjoying the music you make and the people you play with.

Here are some qualities that I believe make up a professional attitude. Feel free to let me know what I've missed.

• Respect - It pretty much goes without saying that one should show respect for others. We all have a right to play music, even those that aren't as good yet. So if you encounter a musician that's not as good as you, help them out instead of being hard on them. A weaker member in your band can make your performances sound worse, so helping them out and giving them confidence in what they do is ultimately going to improve the overall performance, from which you will benefit.

• Accepting criticism - Remember that other musicians may have learned a lesson or two that you have not yet learned, even if you're a better musician overall.

• Integrity - If there's something you can't do, admit it, have someone else do it, or ask for help so you can get the problem fixed quickly. I've seen people accept job offers that they simply weren't qualified for. You may argue that if a company asks you to fill a certain position, they must believe that you can do the job. I say, however, that the one person that knows you the best, the one person that is best positioned to decide whether you are qualified for a given job, is none other than you. So, although you may be flattered and your ego may love the attention it would be getting in this new position, pause for a while, figure out what this job entails, ask yourself if you're capable of handling every single aspect of the job and answer these questions honestly. Then have the guts to say no. Imagine how much it's going to hurt your reputation if you're in a position you can't handle. It's wiser to say no, learn and observe and slip into the position when you are ready.

• Honesty - Be honest about what you can do and what you can't do. A good example are all those people that talk up their resume only to fail miserably when they face the music. You're actually doing yourself a disservice this way. How nice would it be to over-deliver during the gig! This is a lot easier when you keep quiet about your resume. Besides, if you've really played with Chick Corea, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane and boast about it, chances are that you're just intimidating your band-mates, ultimately leading to an inferior performance, which also affects you.

• Be prepared - A big part of having a professional attitude is to show up, do the gig well, and go home. This is only possible if you're prepared. Some guys may want to show up for a gig and 'wing' it. If you wing it, and you're able to do the gig, imagine how much better you could've done it if you'd prepared. In most cases, however, it's a stupid stunt that ends up in a train wreck or two. Also, consider the confidence people will have in you if they can see that you're prepared - and confidence leads to better performances.

• Apply proper inter-personal communication skills - This is really important. Tensions arise often on the bandstand. When this is the case, it is imperative for people to communicate in a way that leads to an effective resolution of the problems so that the show can go on without a hitch. Furthermore, with proper communication you'll be able to come out of a tricky situation without offending anyone.

• Proper appearance - Look the part

• Punctuality

• No drugs - Now, that seems pretty self-explanatory. Yet time and time again some of our guys get fired (and mess up their future careers with their employers) for smoking weed. I'm not suggesting to anyone to give up their drug habits but I believe there is a time and a place for it. Cruise ship gigs and drugs simply don't go together.

• Consistency – When your gigs become repetitive, the challenge wears off and you feel your motivation and concentration slip, your performance may suffer. Coming up with extra motivation and setting personal challenges may help you to keep up your performance level, which will once again lead to better performances by the group.

As you can see, there are a number of ways we can improve our personal performance dramatically, outside of the many different music-related skills I mentioned in the introduction. Some may find that they're naturally applying some of the qualities I've talked about, while others may struggle a bit more with their attitude. I'm absolutely convinced that working on these points will make your career more enjoyable for yourself and those you play with.

I've found that there is one sentence that has helped me stay on the right track:

"Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem"