I’ve been a hustler since the age of 14. Before my TV gigs, I worked as a candy striper, telemarketer, babysitter, retail sales person, substitute teacher, model, you name it. I worked my butt off! When I got my first TV gig, I paid serious dues. There were times I actually worked for free! Heck, there were also times when I paid to work! Yes, you read that right. My wage was far less than my cost of travel. Despite it all, it may come as a shock to some when I say, you don’t have to work hard to find success.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t regret all the work I’ve put in. Every job has made me the person I am today. I learned the importance of great work ethic and how to be responsible. Plus, I was able to build my resume and make money in the process.
As a teenager, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for a living. I gravitated toward law because people told me I’d be could at it. But I later realized that being a lawyer wasn’t for me. An internship at a local TV station made me realize that.
I developed a passion for journalism – a feeling I never had before. I was fortunate to enough to land my first on-air TV gig soon after my internship ended. But, it wasn’t because I worked hard. It was because I worked smart. I worked closely with reporters, asked a ton of questions, put together a demo reel, and sent it to different stations until I got an offer. I found my passion, set a goal, and worked at attaining that goal.
Focusing on my path to success helped me get me achieve my goal. However, I see people make the mistake of working hard for no reason. Would you spend hours studying for the LSATS knowing that you don’t want to be a lawyer? That’s a question I’d often ask myself, and the answer – hell no!
I remember meeting a young lady years ago who had dreams of becoming an on-air reporter. She followed a similar path as I did – first starting as an intern. Then one day she got a job offer working behind the scenes at a production house.
“Should I take it,” she asked.
“If you want to be on-air, then be on-air,” I advised.
She ultimately accepted the gig and worked hard in her new position. However, she never became a reporter. I spoke to her years later and she expressed regret. She had spent a few years paying dues for a career path she didn’t want, and I never understood her decision.
Why take on a job that has absolutely nothing to do with the one you want?
That said, don’t waist precious time working hard doing something you don’t want to do. That’s exactly the lesson we plan on teaching our kids. I know there will come a time when they’ll look to me and their Dad for career advice. Work smarter, not harder is the mantra I’d tell them.
Once you know your goal, set a plan, focus, and work at achieving it. That’s how you’ll find success.
Which would you rather, working smarter or working harder?
when i worked in a clothing store as a teen – i hated it and right then and there i thought i don’t care what i get paid – i’m just going to do what i love… i did on air tv news stuff for almost 20 years and while it never made me rich – i loved what i did. it paid off in more ways than one!
This is so true. NEVER settle for less or allow yourself to be tied to a position that doesn’t fit your passion.