(Credit: Alix Kane/NFL)
I was probably eight or nine years old when I first heard my father say it.
“There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
I’ve been asked about what I ultimately want to do with my life, be it among colleagues, classmates or while facing six of a television station’s most important employees at once across a well-lacquered boardroom table. I always give the same equally vague and ambitious response.
I want to do everything.
My journalism professors emphasized being versatile in multimedia — be good with a pen (or keyboard), behind and in front of the camera, behind the microphone and as an editor. I attacked it accordingly, found that I was passionate about all of the above and as I neared graduation, thought a running archive of this will surely help me get a job, right?
But what about that saying: jack of all trades, master of none?
I’m out to prove that wrong. I’m not the first. I think in the greatest, excellence permeates all aspects of life. I’m striving for that greatness.
Some may see it as unrealistic or overambitious. But being realistic is the quickest path to mediocrity. I won’t spend my life being mediocre.
I was extremely fortunate to land a dream internship in production at NFL Films upon graduation. I crossed the stage, packed up and was off to New Jersey the next day. Using the NFL name, I ended up with NFL Media in Los Angeles as a Digital Content Producer.
Within months, I started writing news posts for the Around The NFL section of NFL.com, and a column sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott. I was 22 years old, 2,600 miles away from home and living the dream. Big city, big-name website, a fairly frequent byline and a doubling of Twitter followers almost overnight.
I come from a tight-knit family, though, and lived my whole life in Northeast Ohio until college graduation. My job was incredible, but home came calling. I heeded their pleas, packed up, and moved. My L.A. friends eased the awkwardness of goodbyes by making lighthearted references to LeBron James. I wrote about that connection here.
After spending a year at home, I realized that success requires sacrifice. As we often find ourselves wishing we had more time, I also realized achieving success as I view it couldn’t be done from home. Not now. So I again packed up and moved back to Los Angeles, where I was lucky enough to return to the NFL and resume the dream of writing, editing and talking about football for a living.
Are there enough hours in the day? No.
But if you’re doing what you love, it won’t matter.
Email me at: bynickshook@gmail.com
Nick Shook 