Reflection.

This post is meant for my own encouragement, so here it is for your consumption. I've been thrown into five-day stretches of anchoring sports for the second time.

Doesn't sound like much, does it?

Wake up at 9:00am, go hit the gym, shower, eat, dress, go to work, shoot video of everything local that you'll be showing in sports block—mind you, I work at an operation that emphasizes the multimedia journalist (or multimedia anchor, in this case)...meaning I will shoot, edit, produce, script (twice), anchor, and post to web EVERYTHING that I shoot. I'll add some things from the affiliate feeds (thank God for dual ownership and station connections), and anchor two shows at 6:00pm (this is where dual ownership presents a challenge).

I'll go back out and shoot more for 10:00pm, produce two more shows, and then anchor them.

If breaking news happens in the sports realm (and it will), I'll appear in the 5:00pm shows, thereby reducing the time I have to shoot; in which case, photographer support is offered.

Oh, by the way, you've got to find time to feed yourself.

Sounds intimidating, doesn't it?

It is. The first time. And the second. And the third. You'll screw things up. Mismanage time. Mess up your graphics.

Then, suddenly, you look up and realize that, yeah, it can wear on you, but it's not nearly as stressful. Yeah, you have to get over the morning inertia, but once you do, it's clockwork.

The first five-day stretch was Monday-Friday, which meant I still had to do my usual weekend shows on both ends. This time it was Thursday to Monday.

You lose your fear of the potential for failure. You stare it in the face and dare it to chase you. You wake up and realize you're in a routine; it's become second nature, ingrained with your everyday life. You feel like you've not long before boredom with the routine sets in.

That's when you take your work (and life) to the next level. Pursue more. Explore outside the box. Know that there's still more for you to learn, and that caffeine is to you as the yellow sun is to Superman.

It's just the beginning when you know what you're after. You do what you must, then you may do what you want.