Gymnastics - Discipline & Inspiration

[kthanna]

Originally published at K.T. Hanna - The Scribble Muse. You can comment here or there.

I know I said Wednesday would be my writing process day, but there’s something else I’d like to talk about for now.
Inspiration.

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The World Gymnastics Championships are currently being held in Tokyo, Japan.

I adore gymnastics. Actually, it’s the only sport I really follow at all. No, I don’t get American football, I’d prefer Rugby League or Cricket over it any day. At least I get those.

Gymnastics amazes me. I’ll be waking up at 4am tomorrow to watch the individual all round final. I got up at 5am on Tuesday to watch the USA win the Team Gold (for women). Today, the mens team took home bronze, and while I’m hella proud of them, the focus for the puropse of this post, is the women’s team.

You see, the women’s team competing at the 2011 World’s is a very young team. Their veteran member, Alicia Sacramone, was flown back to the USA for an operation on her torn Achilles tendon before the qualification round, and Anna Li was announced as the alternate prior to this due to an ab injury.

So the competing members of the team consist of 4 first year seniors: Jordyn Wieber, Gabrielle Douglas, Sabrina Vega, and Makayla Maroney; and one 2nd year senior: Alexandra Raisman. There was a minor outcry when the team was chosen. That they had no experience and likely wouldn’t medal, or at least not get the gold. Because the Russians, Romanians and Chinese have super strong teams.

But you know what. These young girls dug deep, believed in themselves and put their best damn routines out there hitting 12 successful routines to win the gold for the USA with over a FOUR point lead. Yes, this is a huge lead.

These girls said screw the odds, we’re doing this. They encouraged each other, cheered each other on, and gave their very best when it counted.

It got me thinking.

As a writer, if you really want to be a writer and publish a book (be it via traditional or self publishing), then this is what you need to do. You need to practice and practice until you’re blue in the face and you don’t think you can anymore. You need to finish that book and edit it until you can’t bear to look at it again. Put it aside and then look at it again some more.

You need to go for that difficult dismount and stick it.

If you’re lucky, you might just have a team on board who will cheer you on, but in the end you have to go out there and rely on yourself and the belief that your character, plot and execution are what you need them to be.

Sure you could go out there and submit something that hasn’t been critiqued or beta’d quite enough, that hasn’t been through the ringer and maybe get lucky with a stick… but the best bet is to make sure it’s the best possible story you could possibly put before the world.

Discipline is probably the most difficult aspect of writing, especially if you’re still seeking that first publication. When you don’t have anyone to answer to - When you’re already working one full time job and go home to work at your self imposed writing one… In the end though it’ll be worth it. When you have that routine you can show the world and maybe get a 9 E score on it. Yeah - that one.

Way to go USA Women’s Gymnastics World Champions 2011! Thank you for your inspiration.

I’d love to know how much discipline other people think it takes to get your work done and out into the world? Are you a perfectionist? Do you find it frustrating as hell? Do you tend to rely on other’s feedback on your work, or stick to your guns (whether it’s stubborn or justified)?

What inspires you?

I’d really like to thank everyone who’s voted for me so far in the 2nd Campaigner Challenge. If you haven’t voted yet and like my story, please do. I’m #17. And don’t forget to read the other great stories and vote for the ones you like there too! Only two more days left!

 Photograph is from USA Gymnastics FAcebook