I'm finding out.

I'm finding out that my job is primarily: Journalist. I've realized that while I'm a camera-operator, reporter, writer, and editor, I am foremost a journalist. My job is to get credible information on a subject and then tell that story in an understandable and entertaining way.

What I'm working on is doing a better job of getting to the bottom of a story. Asking all the right questions so that nothing is left unturned. Thinking on the fly, "what's next?" or "so what?" and then finding a way to answer that. Sometimes it means prodding past the point of comfort, not taking another person's word at face value, and being eager to get more information. This is taking some getting used.

Those are usually qualities that I don't see in myself and need to push myself to put into action. I don't like forcing people to tell me something they want. I initially trust someone's word. I'm usually satisfied with whatever someone tells me. So it's a struggle to put my profession as a journalist above my personal tendencies.

I'm not sure if it's a "killer instinct" that most reporters or journalists naturally have or if it is something they are able to turn on or off at the end of the day. I'm not sure how it manifests in myself. But I'm finding out.