People often wonder what a life in the spotlight would look like. To be able to write and speak about important topics on a national scale for millions to witness is something that most would consider to be a dream job. For Andrew Napolitano, this is what he was meant to do. From hosting talk shows to writing books about legal and political topics, he believes he has a voice that people around the world can relate to and want to engage with.
After retiring from his judgeship from the New Jersey Superior Court in 1995, he decided to work as a litigator at a private practice. After making that change, he soon realized that he wanted to branch outside of the field of law and begin a career in writing and television. He began his television career in 2000 when he was a presiding judge on the first season of the court show Power of Attorney. From then on, he was hooked. He went on to appear on shows on Fox News Radio and hosted a daily talk show called Freedom Watch on the Fox Business Channel. It seemed like Fox could not get enough of Napolitano’s personality, and he eventually landed the position of a legal analyst on Fox News. This solidified his career transition into television.
In addition to being such a passionate voice on television and radio, Napolitano also shares his expertise as a published author. He has written nine books throughout his life that highlight all of the knowledge he has retained during his lifetime. According to Brooklyn Law School, of the nine books he has written, two of them became New York Times best sellers. The most recent book he published is titled, Suicide Pact: The Radical Expansion of Presidential Powers and the Lethal Threat to American Liberty. Due to his successful career, Napolitano has become a symbolized voice for personal freedom and liberty.
If someone aspires to become an acknowledged columnist like Judge Napolitano, they must have the perseverance to stand out and the passion to relay their message to the audience. In such a competitive world, people must prove themselves throughout their entire career. Starting out as a reporter could be a useful way to get your foot in the door at a news station. Furthermore, it would show determination to go the extra mile and ask if it would be acceptable to write columns on the side. In your free time, work on a personal blog to show off your writing skills. With extra time spent on online marketing, it could gain traction and you could have enough credibility to become a freelance columnist for local newspapers. It is all about climbing that professional ladder to eventually reach your ultimate goal. Put in ten times the amount of effort into your writing than the competitors around you and you may become a household name.
Andrew Napolitano is an inspiration for many people involved in the world of journalism. He has dedicated the past twenty years of his life to preaching devotion of law, order and politics to students and the public nationwide. To those who follow his story, they are reminded that they can always make a career change if they are passionate enough to do so. Even though he pursued a career in law initially, he made the steps to change his path and try something completely different because he wanted his voice to be heard and wanted to make a difference. The road to becoming a renowned columnist is not an easy one, and it takes years of hard work to match his achievements. But the biggest lesson to take away is that if Napolitano could do it, anyone with the same amount of passion can as well.
