A little Frog Wisdom for 2011

It’s the beginning of a New Year and normally this is when I talk about reflecting on the past year and making goals for the New Year. Instead I thought I’d give you a little story that was sent to me several years ago. Funny thing is it still holds true in your writing career whether you’re published or aspiring to be published.

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who decided to have a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants.

The race began and honestly no one in the crowd really believed the tiny frogs would ever reach the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"
"They will NEVER make it to the top."
Or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"

Sure enough as time went by the tiny frogs began collapsing. Some of them stopping to glance back at the crowd, listening to the roar of people saying they’d never make.

As those frogs stopped the ones behind them seemed to have a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"More tiny frogs slowed down to listen and gave up.

But ONE continued higher and higher and higher...this one wouldn't give up!At the end all of the frogs had given up climbing the tower except for the one tiny frog that, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? The crowd had told them it was too hard, that they would never make it. How could one frog reach the top when everyone else had given up.

A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.It turned out...That the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic... because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have. (There's life and death in the power of the tongue - Proverbs 18:21.) Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!

Therefore:ALWAYS be....POSITIVE!And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!

If you fall down 10 times,Stand up 11 times.

In other words if you’re rejected 10 times you may need to submit something new but submit again you must. A great friend once told me never give up today because tomorrow might be your miracle. I realize that the miracle comes from hard work but you can achieve your dreams if you never, ever give up on them.

One of the major key words there is worked. This writing journey takes work. It's not easy, but if this is your heart’s desire never give up and never listen to those who say you can't do it.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki