Spray The Champagne!

Like many things in life, a career in writing involves a lot of failure. Daily you confront your inadequacies. Rejection slips rain down like confetti. You fail to make your daily word goal, or you make it and your words are junk. There isn't enough money. Your dog wonders what the hell you're doing.

Because of all this failure, it is important to take a victory lap whenever you can. But being accustomed to failure, writers may be inclined to distrust success. This has to be a joke. Someone is going to pull the rug out. It can't last.

You still need to spray the champagne.

To understand how underdogs can properly enjoy winning, I draw inspiration from one of the greatest OVERdogs in sport. Michael Schumacher is arguably the greatest racing driver of all time. He was historically victorious at the highest level, winning seven Formula One World Drivers' Championships. He won 91 F1 races and earned podium finishes 155 times.

Schumacher was dominant, especially in the early 2000s, winning the championship every year from 2000-2004, and finishing on the podium (top three) in every single race of the 2002 season. As a race fan in those years I admired Schumacher but came to view his victories as inevitable, and maybe even a little ... boring?

You know who never appeared bored by victory? Michael Schumacher.

What I most remember about Schumacher in those years -- aside from his seemingly leading the field by a lap the moment the green lights went on -- is how his every podium celebration was like his first time. He became famous for his "podium jump" and vigorous spraying of champagne. He wasn't being a bully or punching down. Schumacher was genuinely delighted to win a race. And why shouldn't he, whether it was his first win or his 91st? He'd beaten the best in the world and literally risked his life to do it. He sprayed the damn champagne.

Writers aren't attacking Eau Rouge at 170 KPH in the rain, but our victories still count for something. We don't get to stand on a podium but we can and should enjoy metaphorical champagne showers when we achieve something in our work. Complete a story? Spray the champagne. Publish in print? Spray the champagne. Publish online for readers to enjoy for free? Spray the champagne. Complete an act or a draft of a longer work? Spray the champagne. Win an award, get nominated for an award, receive a grant? Spray the champagne.

Get up in the morning and get your words written, rain or shine?

SPRAY. THE. DAMN. CHAMPAGNE.

Treat every time like the first time, because you never know which time will be the last. 

(How's that for a writer distrusting success?)

Cheers!