Published February 27, 2010 | 
. . . You don’t quit playing
Last night I watched the Slovakian Olympic hockey team take on Canada. For anyone who doesn’t know, Canadians invented hockey. Playing on their “home turf”, the Canadian team clearly expected to win, especially after sending the Russian “Dream team” home with their tails between their legs.
At the end of the 2nd period, the score was 3:0, Canada. During the break, as they cleared the ice and both teams prepared for the final period, the announcers on CNBC declared Canada the winners. Even as the players skated back onto the ice – with 20 minutes left in the game – they said repeatedly, “It’s going to be Canada vs. the U.S. for the gold!”
Thankfully, no one gave that memo to the Slovakian team. They played the 3rd period with heart . . . and when they scored 2 goals, they forced the arrogant announcers to eat their words. As the clock ticked down the final seconds, and then the final milliseconds of the game, the Slovakians sent a 6th player onto the ice and scrambled the puck in front of the Canadian net. They were not going down without a fight. The game announcers, who had declared a clear winner 20 minutes earlier, suddenly changed their tune, “Whoever wins this game will go on to play for the gold medal.”
Like many people, I was cheering for the underdogs – Slovakia. Why do we do it? Why do we root for the underdog? Why not cheer on the “obvious” winner? Make ourselves part of “the winning team” too? Because somewhere, deep in our hearts, or our gut, we think, “Hell, if they can win against a country that invented the sport, and in that country’s homeland no less, maybe I can too!” Maybe I can be a winner!”
The game ended.
3:2, Canada
Canada had won, but the Slovakian team made them earn their place in the Olympic finals. The Slovakians did not go sit on the bench and give up when the score was 3 to nothing. When one of their players was knocked into the glass and hurt enough that it took longer to get back up, he did not sit on the ice with his head in his hands and cry. He got back up and he played. And he kept playing until the final buzzer.
Hell, if the underdog team can keep fighting to win, even until the last seconds of the clock run out, against a country that invented the sport, and in that country’s homeland, maybe I should keep fighting to win too! Because no matter what the score is . . . no matter what the odds against you are . . . you keep playing. You don’t quit. You don’t give up and go sit on the bench while there’s still time on the clock.
Thank you, Slovakia. You are True Olympians.
Slovakia will play against Finland tonight, 27 Feb, for a chance at the Olympic Bronze Medal, airing on MSNBC at 7pm PT. I’ll be watching. Will you?
Posted in Inspiration | 
dream, Inspiration, olympic hockey, Slovakia, underdog, win, winner, wish | 
Leave a commentPublished January 21, 2010 | Wish: Successful Entrepreneur
Touchstone: Financial Independence
Role Models (I have several): Donald Trump; Dolly Parton; Loretta Swit; Julie Powell
Target: Earn $2,400 – $3,000/mo. (profit)
Target Date: Nov. 1, 2010
Obstacles: Time/Time Management; (lack of) Marketing Skills; next steps after starting?
Brainstorming: Can I focus on all of these areas at once?
- Graphic design for PODs
- Jewelry
- Art/Crafts
- Affiliate marketing
- Ebay
- Amazon
- Planning
- Writing/Blogging
- Cooking
Assignment direct from Barbara.
Rough and Ready Six Month Plan.
BarbaraSher @YellowRoseKat Why not create a rough & ready 6-month plan? Total fiction, but it’s a start. Then brainstorm details with us. #ideaparty 5:48 PM Jan 21st from TweetChat in reply to YellowRoseKat
BarbaraSher @YellowRoseKat No, first rough is wish-goals. ’1st month, site is up, blog is hot, I’m tweeting sexy stuff to get readers’ #ideaparty 5:53 PM Jan 21st from TweetChat in reply to YellowRoseKat
So, taking her first month statement and running with it, here’s what I’ve come up with. She asked for “rough”. This is it.
1st month: Site is up, blog is hot, I’m tweeting sexy stuff to get readers
2nd month: I have 100s of designs up on PODs. Followers and readers are growing.
3rd month: I’m a Proseller at Zazzle! I’ve won TBA (their ‘Today’s Best Award’) and am gaining recognition from my peers.
4th month: Writing is going smoothly – I’m blogging every other day and my POD sites are bringing in sales (they call them donots) on a regular basis.
5th month: Time management and energy are no longer a problem. Blogging and adding new designs daily. Able to focus on Affiliate sites and Amazon.
6th month: I’ve been working on crafts and jewelry for Etsy. The house is de-cluttered and I have a “mailing station” for Etsy and Ebay sales. My readers and followers can’t wait to see what new designs I’m going to add next or what I might blog about.
Somehow after those first words from Barbara, I got unstuck from my Ideal Day and back on track for where I need to go next.
My original Ideal Day still stands. A few exceptions of course: I’m not living alone. 
We have both a cat and a dog. Our house is a small cottage house (not the 2-story one by the beach) in a historical, artistic neighborhood with a full studio in back. Our business is not just a tourist gift shop, but is also the only Rock Shop in the county, with a focus on selling/teaching art/pottery/jewelry and supplying local students.
This is my long-term Dream. Everything in my life that has changed over the last 20 years – since I first dreamed of owning a business… since I first set foot into my first Rock Shop, wide-eyed like a child discovering her first candy store – the one thing that remained constant was my dream: Own a business that supports an artistic community and helps promote learning and growth.
My business must start somewhere. It starts with the next six months. Who knows where it will go from there.
