Hi Batera945,
Like you, I really wanted to be a 'professional drummer' - that is to say make a living at it. My Dad was a professional musician and that really helped with my attitude to it. Being prepared is the key thing. Learn to read (I've done top 40 bands, wedding bands, big bands, ballroom dance bands, theatre show deps and sessions that all required a pretty good standard of reading). Practise all styles of music - go out and get some jazz, funk, big band, country, Pop, folk, be bop, reggae, dixieland trad and play along to those records and try to 'fit in' convincingly. To make a living at this you're going to have to be super versatile. Get GREAT at playing with a click - most of the jobs I do now require you to play to a click - but REALLY well.
Meet as many musicians as you can - and try to do every gig that's offered to you - even if you don't particularly like the music - and even if it’s for little or no money. You never know where the job might lead....and be a very accommodating person - never show up late - and make sure you've done your homework.
When I would get a chance to do an audition - I would go out and get some of the albums of the artist or band I was auditioning for (a couple of weeks in advance if possible) and play along to their records. I would write out some of the trickier songs and practise them hard.
I was amazed to find out sometimes during the audition that I was the only drummer that they auditioned who had bothered to REALLY learn the material.
cheers
Gavin