It is only natural to want to speed up your timeline when it comes to reaching your goals. For me, the goal was to get to the big leagues, and the sooner, the better. At least that’s what I thought at the time. I learned along the way that there was no need to be in a rush. It’s understandable to want to reach your goals as quickly as possible. However, here are three reasons why you may be better off exhibiting some patience.
1. You may still have a lot to learn. After completing my first year broadcasting baseball in the Midwest League, I realized that I had a lot to learn about the game and the broadcasting business as well. I didn’t know as much about the game as I thought I did. I still needed to understand the game better and learn how to navigate a full pro baseball season. I realized that the road to the big leagues was a lot longer than I anticipated. The improvements that I needed to make in my play-by-play would only come through reps. Simply put I needed to call as many games as possible to get better at my craft. That takes time, and I began to understand that you can’t rush it. You don’t want to get your dream job before you are ready for it. The more prepared you are when you get there, the better chance you will stay there.
2. Enjoying the ride Is half the fun. The one thing that I would change about my career is to go back and learn to enjoy the ride a little bit more. I was so focused on the end goal, that I sometimes didn’t enjoy the relationships that I made along the way. I also didn’t take the time to enjoy the cities that I worked in. The journey to your dream job is as important as reaching your ultimate goal, so take some time to enjoy the trip.
3. Not getting that next job could be a blessing. Moving up the ladder can be fraught with missed opportunities and disappointments. I recall applying for a Double-A baseball job while I was broadcasting in A-ball. I thought I had the job until I learned that I didn’t get it. In my mind, it was a chance to move up a level and get one step closer to the major leagues. I was devastated. I was able to put the the disappointment aside and worked another season in A-ball. The next year, I got a job in Triple-A and suddenly I was just one step away from the big leagues. I had sidestepped Double-A altogether. You never know how things will work out. Sometimes not getting a job could set things up nicely for future opportunities.
