Don’t Take Your Eye Off the Ball
I was playing doubles tennis recently with some friends at my tennis club and was playing particularly badly, to the point where I was not only getting really angry with myself, but I was embarrassed.
I kept my cool and on the rare occasion that I hit a killer shot, my team mates were quick to congratulate me and gave me a metaphorical pat on the back; I felt like the no-hoper in the school playground; the underdog that everybody was suddenly rooting for.
My tennis partner took me to one side and suggested I play to my opponent’s weak spot, which was her backhand. I was so engrossed in analyzing my own playing technique that I had forgotten to focus on the opponents and almost, quite literally, had taken my eye off the ball.
I try not to take my eye off the ball when I am writing because I am constantly reading, writing, improving, and honing my craft with the help of some incredibly kind, inspirational, and skilled writers, who I will come back to a little later.
Perseverance
As writers, we need to have thick skin and perseverance is key if we are to succeed in our craft.
Sometimes, a rejection can feel like a slap in the face. My response? Don’t give up at the first…
