In this chapter I will define the terms self-directing en self-regulating. I will explore in depth the concept of self-regulating and the way in which this relates to ‘the new professional’. I will elaborate on the article which I wrote together with Sasja Dirkse in 1998 for Opleiding & Ontwikkeling (O&O): 15 miljoen mensen op dit hele kleine stukje aarde; zelfsturing als sociaal gedrag (Van Noort & Dirkse-Hulscher, 1998). This deals with a number of postulates which offer a broader view on self-directing. A summary of this O&O-article is given in the box.