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Creative Writing – Don’t Give Up, Never Give Up – Advice From Jimmy V
By Deb Gallardo
Jimmy Valvano’s Espy’s speech from 1993 (under 12 minutes). This sports hero, like Randy Pausch, was dying of cancer, yet chose to live life to its fullest, to have fun, to enjoy his family in the time he had left, and to give back to the greater community. Jimmy V’s comment when he’s told he has 30 seconds left is priceless! So is the story about his first coaching job at Rutgers University.
Jimmy V’s philosophy is every day to laugh, to think, and to cry. Isn’t this what writers need to do every day? We need to laugh, to think and to feel. If we don’t, we can’t write words that will cause readers to laugh, to think and to cry. To paraphrase the Vince Lombardi quote from this video, “You will succeed if you focus on three things: your family, your religion and your writing.”
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2 Comments »
February 28th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I really enjoyed that video. I sent a link to your site to a chatroom buddy who was thinking of quitting writing after she received some critism about an article she wrote. She vowed not to start another chatroom discussion. I don’t know if this video played a part in her decision to change her mind…but I feel it most certainly did. What I can say for certain, is that I found it inspiring.
Ms. Gallardo, I would like to add a link to this page, and, thus, your site. I feel your site would be a useful addition to my newly birthed blog, Writer 4 Writer.
February 28th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Penny,
Thank you for your lovely comments. I’m happy that you found inspiration in Jimmy V’s speech and even happier that it may have kept a writer from giving up.
A friend of mine who is quite successful online made a comment this week. She said that the big roadblocks we encounter on our way to achieving our dreams, whether it’s writing a book or building an online business, those roadblocks that seem insurmountable and make us want to just give up, those roadblocks that discourage us to the uttermost, occur RIGHT BEFORE we’re about to achieve success.
That was so encouraging to me, because I’ve had my share of wanting-to-give-up moments both in writing and my online business.
It would be great if we all had a bird’s eye view of the road ahead, to see what’s really beyond that mountain that just appeared in our path blocking our way. My friend says that the goal is just on the other side.
I’d give anything to see what’s on the other side of MY mountain, to see how big it really is. All I can do is start digging or climbing or figure out how to fly over it. Or perhaps, if my faith is strong enough, I can “speak to the mountain, ‘Be cast into the sea.’”
I would be pleased to have you link to my blog. I am always on the lookout for writing blogs I can recommend to my readers. I wish you all the best with Writer 4 Writer.
Thanks again for commenting, and stop by any time. There are nearly 400 posts here to inspire, encourage or teach. Enjoy!
Deb