LIFE LESSONS : BE READY WHEN YOUR NUMBER GETS CALLED

I’ve always had a knack for knowing when to pay attention to certain things and take action even if the reason wasn’t fully in focus. Sometimes it’s a passing thought, odd inspiration, weird idea, or a nudge in my spirit to go a certain direction and I know better than to ignore these now.

Whether it takes 2 days or 2 years, I never fail to see the purpose of certain things come to light and 2023 as a whole solidified this.

Let me explain further.

In high school this looked like me keeping a year round list of research paper ideas so that when an assignment was given months later I wasn’t scrambling for a topic I felt passionate about. I’ve always naturally been someone who planned ahead…but in 9th grade no one else was doing this. In my early twenties I found myself leading leaders who oversaw hundreds of volunteers and as a result I became one of the go-to people in our department for inspiration and resources like books, podcasts, and youtube videos on topics like leadership development and organization systems. Once again, I found myself curating lists and folders so that whenever someone needed a link or support, I had it at the ready.

Oh, you need a book recommendation on personal growth? Here’s 2 options and the amazon links. I never had to go searching for resources, I had them ready to go.

Being prepared pays off.

In 2021 when a few bigger sponsors in the cycling space asked me what my needs were for support in order to have a successful race season on the bike, I simply shared the spreadsheet I had already put together that carefully detailed everything I needed from entry fees, race apparel, and personnel support, to travel expenses and equipment. Version 1 and version 2 were already done. No need to brainstorm, circle back, or rush to throw anything together. I quickly learned that you never know when you’ll run into someone with the access or funds to support you, but if you aren’t prepared to share what you need with them, it’s hard for them to say yes. The rest of the year I found myself having conversations over and over again with other riders asking me how I had the support and connections that I did. Simply put, I stayed prepared before I ever needed to be.

There is great power and great peace in preparing for where you want to go before you get there.

Most recently when I found myself desiring opportunities to work in the media space, I didn’t wait for a job offer or get on Linkedin, instead I opened up my Tiktok and started making the content that led the opportunities I wanted to me. This action put me on air as a sports sideline reporter and blessed me with brand deals that paid my rent and then some. When the offers came, I was prepared for them and I had more fun than I could ever begin to explain.

You don’t have to be extra special, extra talented, or extra anything to stand out, but being extra prepared will make you all of those things and more.

I’ll leave you with my favorite example of how being prepared served me well.

Summer of 2023 I was preparing for a broadcast gig with the National Cycling League’s Pro Race in Atlanta, GA. My role in the field the was to tell stories, investigate the action, and find a way to shove a microphone and camera in the faces of the sweaty and focused riders during the chaos of a race. It was intimidating, but I was prepared which gave me the 51% confidence I needed. In fact, I had spent countless hours the week prior researching the lesser known teams, digging online for the details about specific athletes, writing down themes I’d noticed from the season leading up, and reviewing the stats and points standings. I also read the entire athlete questionnaire and team profile on all 11 teams that I’d be interacting with.

Then it happened. It was a blazing hot Saturday on the Porsche Experience Center Race Track, sweat was dripping down my back, and we were live. Mic in my hand, I was unexpectedly facing Ryan Dewald, professional racer and captain of Team Skyline, who had subbed out of the race mere seconds ago and into the pit where I cornered him with my audio guy, producer, and cameraman. I heard Frankie and Steve toss the broadcast to me from the commentator booth as I asked Dewald how he and his team were navigating the extreme heat. I nodded intently as Dewald answered my question with great enthusiasm (and great amounts of sweat) but never could have predicted what happened next. As he spoke about the temperature challenges I watched Ryan pull a giant needle out of his jersey pocket, uncap it, and shove it into his arm. I had over a million thoughts go through my brain in mere seconds.

What just happened. Did he just give himself an injection on live tv? How am I going to explain this? OH! It was insulin.

All the preparation I had done the week prior flooded back into my brain and as Dewald rode back into the race I turned towards my cameraman and carefully shared the inspiring story of Team Skyline. Ryan Dewald is a recently diagnosed type 1 diabetic, and off the bike he and Team Skyline put much heart into a non-profit called Winning The Race With Diabetes. WTRWD’s mission is to inspire, teach, and demonstrate how to fully manage T1D, thereby reducing its long-term health risks through a highly active and athletically competitive lifestyle.

You can read more about the work they do HERE.

I can’t begin to describe to you the relief I felt knowing I was prepared to explain what took place. Our entire interaction was comical, heart warming, and very chaotic. I put the clip up as a reel on my Instagram and it’s still there for your enjoyment.

I’ve thought about this moment often in the months since the race because I truly do not know what I would have done if I hadn’t been prepared with the information I needed in that moment. I had no idea when I was at home reading the backstory on some of the less “flashy” athletes in the race that I’d end up face to face with one of them and more importantly, be trusted to share his story with respect.

All this to say, on those random days when you find yourself struck with an odd idea or notion, go with it. Craft the business plan before you have the funds. Put together the slide deck before the meeting even gets scheduled. Rehearse your elevator pitch before the button is pressed. Save and organize the documents even though they’re not required. Go down rabbit holes. Dig for facts on what might seem insignificant in the moment. Keep your resume up to date.

Then when your number gets called, you’ll be ready.




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