'Unleash the tiger within your soul': Interplays among professionalism, socializing discourses, and work–life management in adventure work.

This article examines how socializing messages and dominant societal discourses about professionalism and meaningful work shape the work–life experiences of adventure workers (AWs) in the USA, a group engaged in nonnormative, passion-driven, often seasonal outdoor occupations. Drawing on interviews with AWs, the study finds that while these workers resist traditional professional norms—such as prioritizing financial security, career advancement, and clear work–life boundaries—they simultaneously reinterpret and sometimes embody aspects of professionalism to support their meaningful work and manage work–life integration. The findings highlight a complex interplay where professionalism acts both as a constraint and a resource, illustrating how AWs negotiate and reframe dominant ideologies to align with their values and lived experiences. This research contributes to understanding how nontraditional workers process socializing messages and enact professionalism and meaningfulness in ways that challenge conventional work norms.