“First, think. Second, believe. Third, dream. And finally, dare.” Walt Disney
When it comes to the imagination, Walt is timeless. The worlds he created continue to enchant children and remind adults what it’s like to dream and dare. Here are some lessons on excellence a leading sports coach learned from Disney and used to fuel her own drive to excel:
1. Think tomorrow: Make today an investment in tomorrow. Find ways to think a few steps ahead of where you are. See each day as an opportunity to make yourself just a little bit better and stronger. And see today as a springboard for tomorrow.
2. Free up your imagination: Take a blue-sky approach to shaping your vision of the future. Take time to fantasize what could be instead of getting locked into what is. We can all usually do more than we ever thought we could. And one way to free the potential inside us is to let our imaginations soar. Give wings to your hopes and dreams and they’ll fly you to places you—and everyone else—have never been before.
3. Strive for lasting quality: Don’t cut corners. Don’t take shortcuts that compromise the quality of the work you do. Give everything you do your absolute best the first time you do it. Make excellence a habit and keep it center stage.
4. Summon your stick-to-it-ivity: Love that word! Adopt this mantra and make it part of who you are: Don’t quit, can’t fail. Hang in there even when others might give up and give in. Don’t quit before the miracle. Success comes to the steady and the steadfast.
5. Have fun! Sometimes we forget that the work isn’t just about passion, perseverance, and patience, it’s also about JOY. When we are doing work we love, we are “making a joyful noise unto the Lord”—we are sending joy and happiness out into the world, which needs it!
—from “The Most Important Thing I Know About the Spirit of Sport” by Pat Williams.
Bravo, Pat! What a simple, yet powerful recipe for fueling creativity, happiness, and success! Let’s apply it as we all write on!
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