I was a total couch potato this weekend. I had an excuse, since I have a cold and fever and feel generally awful. But if I’m honest, I have a tendency toward couch-potatoness a good deal of the time. I’ve never been into sports, never run a marathon (though I did once walk the San Francisco Bay-to-Breakers, which is 7 miles, in the rain, whining the whole time). But sitting on the sofa this weekend, watching hour after hour of the Olympics, I was inspired. Not so much to run or swim or jump or sail, but to push myself to be the best I can be professionally. To push through the pain (or the sniffles), hurdle the obstacles, blow past the competition, keep improving on my own personal best.
In our profession, one measure of that excellence is the Gold Quill Awards. But how many of us don’t bother to even enter year after year, because we know in our hearts that our performance doesn’t meet the standard? Or we can’t be bothered to put in the time or effort to prepare the entry? I look at those Olympic athletes, some just in their teens, training every day for years for the chance to compete. They set a goal and work towards achieving it, and when they don’t win, they immediately begin working towards the next goal. I’m inspired. And I’m going to start thinking now about this year’s Gold Quill entry.