"I will ask a thousand questions. I don't mind looking like I don't know. Please educate me. Being open to admitting what you don't know—some people are very uncomfortable with that and it could be a challenge." — Julie Fussner
Early in my career, I thought the quickest way to earn respect was to have the answers.
If I knew enough, worked hard enough, and avoided mistakes, people would see my value.
What I've learned over the past 26 years is almost the opposite.
The people who continue to grow are rarely the ones pretending to know everything. They are the ones who remain curious. They ask thoughtful questions. They seek advice. They invite correction. Most importantly, they understand that learning never stops.
That mindset is becoming increasingly rare.
Many young professionals enter interviews believing they need to impress everyone with what they know. New graduate assistants feel pressure to prove they belong. Entry-level communicators worry that asking a question will make them appear inexperienced.
In reality, refusing to ask questions often reveals more than asking them ever could.
There is a difference between ignorance and curiosity.
Ignorance says, "I don't know, and I don't care."
Curiosity says, "I don't know yet. Teach me."
That single word—yet—changes everything.
The Best Mentors Want Your Questions
Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to learn from professionals who invested their time in me.
None of them expected me to know everything.
They expected me to listen.
They expected me to work.
They expected me to ask questions.
Every meaningful mentor I've had appreciated curiosity far more than confidence.
Why?
Because questions demonstrate humility.
Questions demonstrate engagement.
Questions demonstrate that you're willing to improve.
This Is One of the Reasons Why I Blog
One of the biggest reasons I started to blog is because too many students and young professionals believe they have to figure everything out on their own.
They don't.
This blog isn't built around having all the answers.
It's built around creating conversations where questions are welcomed.
Whether someone is preparing for their first internship, applying for a graduate assistantship, interviewing for an entry-level athletic communications position, or simply trying to understand the profession better, I want them to know this:
Ask.
Reach out.
Schedule the informational interview.
Send the email.
Follow up.
The people who are willing to help usually remember what it was like when they were starting, too.
Connection begins with a question.
Communication begins with a question.
Collaboration begins with a question.
Those three principles form the foundation of why I blog.
Don't Protect Your Ego. Protect Your Growth.
Some people avoid asking questions because they fear looking uninformed.
Ironically, that fear often keeps them from becoming informed.
Growth has always required humility.
Every expert was once a beginner.
Every respected athletic communicator once asked where to stand during a postgame interview, how to write a game recap, or how to prepare for media day.
Nobody starts as an expert.
The difference is that some people stop asking questions too soon.
Don't be one of them.
The smartest person in the room isn't necessarily the one speaking the most.
Often, it's the one asking the best questions.
Because every great career begins with a willingness to learn.
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