JOHN GRIFF: Grab your opportunities and accept the challenge

It’s the so called “fight-or-flight” feeling and it in itself can be either really unnerving, or a welcome relief.

For me it’s the latter and that’s not because I’m some kind of adrenaline junkie – I’m certainly not that.

Instead it’s a feeling which I welcome when I get it, for a very simple reason.

Today is my last day – for now – hosting the Drivetime programme at the radio station while its regular host Annabel Amos has been away.

In turn, Dawn B has been covering for me.

Every day that I’ve done the Drivetime programme it has been different and it’s been a constant learning process.

They sometimes call it the Learning Curve – well the last week has been, for me, a learning circle, seemingly never ending.

It’s meant a very different working day too, with lots of behind-the-scenes preparation, off-air interviews in subjects which I have never encountered before and people I’ve never met before either.

I’ve learned so much in such a short time that it’s going to take a while to catch my breath and get back into the routine of the Afternoon Show.

And I’ve loved every second, including the bits that perhaps didn’t go so well at the time.

My father always used that overworked phrase “you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs” – it’s true.

As the week has gone on I think I’ve got generally better at doing what’s asked of me and I know that at the end of the programme this evening there’ll be part of me that doesn’t want to hand the reins back.

I make mention of this because it was me that asked to be given a chance to present Drivetime.

Years ago I used to be on the radio at the same time of the day, but that was with commercial music radio and utterly different to this.

I wanted to test myself, to develop myself and to see whether I had it in me to reach the required standard.

And whatever happens in the future, I’ll know that when I was given the chance, I grabbed it with both hands.

The feeling of the fear of falling was with me for at least three of the six editions of the programme but it fell away bit by bit each day.

To expect that I would have been spot on on day one would have been rather arrogant I suspect and mistakes I certainly made.

But equally I’ve improved – and been allowed to improve by making those mistakes.

I think it’s definitely made me a better broadcaster.

I asked for the challenge and was granted it.

Across the county there are lots of people who are being challenged on a daily basis and I wonder whether they recognise what an opportunity that is.

In our schools there are thousands of young students about to take the challenge of their exams – of pivotal importance in some cases.

To them all I offer good luck and wish them a great experience at the same time.

Over a period of just a few hours they will have the nervousness and hopefully the exhilaration of testing themselves against their exam questions.

If they don’t get the grades this time, life will go on and there will be options.

But grab the opportunity and welcome that challenge.