Olympic Reflections

During the past week and a half, I’ve been watching the winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, just like many of you have been doing.

As I have listened to the commentators, broadcasters, athletes, and others, I was struck with how much crosses over into my writing life, proving, I suppose, that the pursuit of excellence changes very little from discipline to discipline.

Here are some of the principles I’ve been reminded of afresh:

Work every day: Consistency comes from the daily.

Shoot for your best; in the end that will provide more satisfaction than any award or accolade earned.

No should haves, would haves, or could haves: Reach high and reach with all you have, even if you fail to attain the goal.

Set goals. There’s always things to learn, ways to grow, areas to stretch, even if you’re the best in your field.

Act with grace, speak with grace, live with grace. Whether you win or lose, succeed of fail, grace adds more shine and lengthens a legacy, where as the opposite will tarnish the brightest medal.

We need others. None of us make it very far without help, instruction, support, and encouragement, both from those in our field as well as those outside of it.

Likewise, there is no such thing as an overnight success. Excellence takes discipline, time, effort, training, and sacrifice.

Passion alone is insufficient to carry us very far. But it makes the journey more enjoyable, the sacrifices more bearable, and the reward more satisfying.

Don’t let your failures mar the celebration of the successes achieved.

Doing well brings honor to both the one being represented as well as the one doing the representing.

(For another great post on the Olympic, check out Sharon Hinck's hilarious post on "Mom-casting." It's great.)