Whats the cost of professionalism!!!

Down the memory lane there were a few strange and puzzling facts that came to my mind.... I asked a question - Why am I here? What do I intend to learn??
Many answers came to my mind..
1. professionalism,
2. managerial skills and many more

Pondering on professionalism - Well, many around have really become professional. But whats wrong. Was it not for what we came here. I think they learnt what they intended to learn.

I have a big question, many people are too career oriented and therefore want to learn professionalism to survive. What better ground to learn and practise the same, than with talented manager like us. Why are these people(learners and practitioners) treated like the ugly duckling. They are practising what they are learning.

But I have seen people pay a big price for being transparent enough to accept that they are professional. They are left alone, they find no one around because others are busy building relations and having fun(which of course is essential). All alone in the crowd, no one to look back to, when under pressure. Why this heavy price?? This question has been bothering me ever since I saw a few people upset because they committed an mistake - The mistake of learning to be professional.

Prioritizing work, demanding work from people to ensure the target is met, performing acts which your role demand(whether it doesn't support a friend), being passionate about a task in hand, giving time to work rather than fun....
Whats wrong in all this...Have we all not come to imbibe this...Then why the ugly duckling feeling?? Why do the budding professionals feel like a newcomer when they join their friends. The jokes have all changed, the expectations change, the outlook changes, no one feels happy when they rejoice..

The path to professionalism is tough...and we want to be "Professionals of the 21st century"....
Are we really ready..Professionalism has a heavy cost attached..Are we ready to pay it???