Keith Manecke chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing Iowa in the upcoming 2024 “Mister USA” competition.
British archaeologist T. E. Lawrence once said: “All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” This quote applies to Keith Manecke.
Mister USA 2024
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment. They believe in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants. It will be held on August 11, 2024 in Hollywood.
The winner of Mister USA will subsequently represent USA at “Mister Universe” on September 28, 2024 at The Biltmore in Los Angeles.
“I am definitely very excited for this contest,” Manecke said. “It is nice to be representing the Midwest, which is where I was born and raised. I am happy to be repping something that is me, and something that I can relate to. It means a lot to be representing something that means a lot to me.”
Daily inspirations
On his daily motivations, he said, “Honestly, there is a lot! I have a lot of friends and co-workers and they don’t understand how I get so much done in one day. Now, I get the chance to do what I want to do. Each day, I start with the mentality of what I should do as opposed to what I want to do. I want to do things that are going to benefit me.”
Desire to someday become a physical therapist
Manecke has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Nutrition, and he hopes one day to become a physical therapist. “I am pre-qualified, and I have the prerequisites to get into graduate school for that,” he said. “I feel that it is going to be really rewarding and beneficial to me because I enjoy helping people.”
“I enjoy my job and I like what I do,” he acknowledged.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Self-discovery.” “Every chapter has been about finding myself,” he said.
Best advice that he has ever been given
Manecke went on to share some of the best advice that he has ever been given.
“My dad was very big on ‘anyone can be wrong, and anyone can be right,’ and vice versa,” he said. “Don’t take everything at face value. Do more research and look into that so that you have the full information.”
Superpower of choice
He revealed that his superpower of choice would be “Teleportation.” “I am constantly traveling, and I hate wasting time. I would like to be more efficient in my travels,” he said.
Favorite motto to live by
His favorite motto to live by is for people to be honest and “tell the truth.” “By telling the truth from the start, people know what you are and what you stand for,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, he explained, “Success definitely varies. There is a lot I want to accomplish in life, I don’t have a checklist per se, but once I get those things done, I will feel fulfilled.”
“Overall, I want to have a family, kids, and a house. I just want to be better than the generation before me. I just want to be improving everywhere I can. Success is family-related, having a good business, and still being able to help people,” he concluded.
To learn more about Keith Manecke, follow him on Instagram.
