Passion - every champion starts with passion. For me, one of my passions is writing. I love the written word. I love to read it and I love to write it. It's so much more than entertainment for me; it's a way to communicate the essence of who I am. I love expressing who God created me to be with the words he places on my heart and my greatest prayer is that He uses those words for His Kingdom and His glory.
Support - every champion has people who believe in her. For most, it starts with our parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts, uncles - anyone who influences us as children. As we grow, it becomes spouses, best friends and other. For me, other writers and readers have become part of my support system. People who cheer you on when you've reached a milestone and those who help you back up when you've stumbled. Support keeps us going.
Good Coaching - every champion has a dynamic coach, or coaches, who show them how to succeed. For me, it's been my online writing friends, books I've read on the craft of writing, reading other books by authors I admire, and my husband. My coaches show me where I need to improve and they challenge me to do better each time I try.
Commitment - every champion is committed to their pursuit. Just as an athlete must commit to training, day in and day out, no matter how they feel, I've had to commit to learning my craft, keeping my blogging schedule, finishing my weekly word quota and not giving up, even when I don't "feel" like continuing. I once heard that a writer's greatest enemy is their desk chair. So many times we feel like doing something else, but when we commit to getting published, we must plunk our bottoms in the chair and keep pressing forward.
Determination - if I could designate one of these ingredients, above the others, as the most important, I would say determination would be it. Every champion is determined to be the best. Determination keeps us going. It is the fuel we need to chase after our dreams. When rejection comes, when we don't win, when we stumble along the way, determination kicks in and we get back in the game to try again. Without determination, there is no chance at becoming a champion.
What about you? What ingredients do you think make up the recipe for a champion? Are these ingredients part of your plan?
