Enjoy the Bad Ride!

Found myself listening back to some old newscasts the other day. Oh boy. I was bad!!

Seriously bad! Like “we can’t put you on the air” BAD! And yet I was on the air, at a little radio station in southern Ontario and I really thought I was the bomb back then. Ha ha ha

I clearly wasn’t major market ready, but my bosses could hear something that I could not.

Determination.

Persistence

And a natural talent that in time, with regular air checking and their guidance would bust through for all to hear. Turns out they were right.  With their wealth of experience and ears for great radio talent they helped me get there.  

I asked a former ND what they heard that I could not hear at that time.  They said, it wasn’t so much the sound, but my attitude. I kept coming back and asking for feedback, I put my hand up to cover any assignment that was offered, just for a chance to be (bad, embarrassed, scared, uncomfortable and awkward), it was that determination and willingness to take risks that made a mark. I wanted, and I needed to hear improvements for myself. I just wanted to get better, and if I did then I figured success would follow.  It did. I’m now coaching young broadcast talent who are right where I was so many years ago.

There is natural talent I can hear and sure enough they cannot. (yet) But most importantly for me? What really stands out, is their commitment to working hard to make it happen, and a little confidence boost from a seasoned-on air coach never hurts either.

This is in line with a recent study out of Cornell and the University of Chicago, which found you shouldn’t chase success, but rather discomfort. If you do, you will reach your goals faster.

Lean into I say, get messy, frustrated, embarrassed and scared! Get uncomfortable with where you are in your effort to get better and consider that progress instead of focusing on mastery alone.

You must be bad at something, before you are good. Enjoy the bad ride! Ha! It will take your far if you let it. 😊