What in the world do two NFL quarterbacks have to do with success in the media industry? A lot in terms of what success can look like.

Neither of these athletes ever stepped foot inside a media company or edited a day in their lives. They wouldn’t know what three-point lighting is, a jump-cut, or the current state of a rapidly changing industry.

But, they can teach us three critically valuable lessons about achieving success in the media landscape.

Eight months after CNN+ promoted me, CNN laid me off. I worked over five years to achieve the promotion from Media Coordinator to full-time Editor Producer. Then, faster than you can say, Breaking News, I was laid off. What lessons did I learn? A lot!

The Death of Cable Television. That’s what a coworker told me we were experiecing these past few years, The Death of Cable Television after I asked him his thoughts on the television industries seemingly never ending cycle of budget cuts and layoffs. I didn’t expect such a dramatic response. So final, like a gradual fade to black at the end of your edit.

Pictured above is the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I had the privilege of finally attending classes there in person this past June after spending the past year pursuing my Master’s Degree in Media Management through the school’s online program. I’ve wanted to attend Newhouse School since I found my passion for broadcasting and media back in middle school in South Jersey. So being here was a dream come true!