Uncontested Champions

I recently reached a significant goal at my day job. This goal marks us as one of the "best" in our industry. I'm proud of this goal. I'm not going to rest on my laurels. It's easy to get to the top of the pile, pause, look at the view, and say, "I made it." In about five minutes, someone else is going to pass you by and you're not the top any more. The true champions realize the race never ends. There is always someone chasing you; always a new ideal or product; there is always someone working hard into the night to be the best.

What that means for me as a writer is that I always keep writing. I flesh out new characters, not sure of where they belong until their story starts to come clear. I challenge myself by writing sample chapters in different genres. These pages may never see daylight, but they force me to think from a different perspective. Don't ever stop fighting to be better. Don't ever stop learning. Don't stop working. Let others keep chasing you. Remember, if they're always aiming from where you were, they'll never get to where you are.