Reaching For The Stars

When I was younger, I just wanted to be a "car driver" when I grew up.  No, not a cabbie or a limousine driver, just a guy who drives cars.  I guess perhaps I was ready for the road at age 4, despite what my parents told me, up to the fact that they'd go to jail if either my sister or I drove the car, even just to Virginia.  Still though, my aspirations held on through most of my childhood.  

If I can recall correctly, my dream career went through several changes as I got older.  After car driver, it was something along the lines of firefighter or doctor, also known as those professions every child wants to be around the time they hit Kindergarten.   Then it went to meteorologist, voice actor, and finally to news anchor/comedian/radio host, which is where I'm at now.  I also touched on a few other fields in high school, including urban engineer (too much math), and school principal/superintendent (too much schooling to get a license).  I've also wanted to dabble (and have dabbled) in the field of business, but there are so many red flags to clear it makes me hesitate a little to go into that type of profession.

Now, a few years into my time on the radio, my on-air personality has developed so much.  I'm by no means famous and probably won't be for quite some time, but I am a voice that people around me can hear and recognize.  At work when I page out over the intercom, I am a voice that people think was pre-recorded by an assistant manager in their spare time.  At school doing the announcements, I am the voice that said "Hello friends" gruff as can be and had that being imitated for the rest of my time at Cherry.  It seems that I've left little footprints in several different places and I think that's pretty awesome honestly.

You see, what we have to do is never be afraid to reach for the highest star.  If you had met me right around the time I moved to Fargo a few years ago and asked me where I thought I'd be, I would have said still going to Bemidji for radio (which I still do albeit less often), and still a Customer Service Desk Associate (It felt so good to get that promotion upon my transfer) at Walmart.  I never expected to have things like two promotions, a job at Holiday for the second time, and three other radio shows all drop into my lap in just two years.  It feels like I'm constantly crossing hurdles to get to a better place, and some haven't came easy, rather they've come through hard work and determination.  I've always been looking for the next level to jump up to, and while it hasn't come everywhere in every aspect, I've come dang close in some instances.


I think, that when we continue to work hard and improve our skills each and every day, we have the opportunity to grab that next highest star and continue on with our lives.  If we don't have that mentality, we end up stuck near the ground somewhere, which might be a place we're content, but there's always room to grow in our career, our schooling, and even our family lives.  We can never give up, and must keep trying in order to continue towards our goal of success.

So as you start to ponder potential New Year's resolutions this year, consider reaching for the stars to continue improving.  Always leave room for new self-development, and leave no stone unturned or let an opportunity pass by.  You never know when that promotion could be yours, and oh how good it will feel when and if you receive it.  Never be afraid to stop "reaching for the stars".