Four years from now? Nope, today!

Like many people in the world, I've spent the last 17 days watching the Olympics. We streamed some of the swimming competitions online to avoid hearing spoilers (swimming is by far my favorite sport - I really prefer the sports that are not judged, simply won). We watched the four to five hours of coverage each night on NBC (though some nights we DVRed it and then fast-forwarded through volleyball, a sport I just am not that in to). And sometimes I'd find myself turning on the TV during the day to see what was happening (especially on the weekends). And yet, I still didn't see most of the sports or competitions that went on in London. But what I did see amazed me. It moved me. It inspired me.

What inspired me most was that these athletes have the chance to compete on this stage just once every four years. They train for over 14,000 days to prepare for, in some cases, one shot at the gold. And it got me thinking. I train for the "gold" in my field some days. Not even most lately. I was on vacation and didn't write at all, and since I've been back, well, these fingers have typed more blogs than screenplays (which isn't saying much). Yes, there are excuses. It's summer, it's too hot in here, there's work (that pays actual money) to be done.

Blah blah blah.

I'm pretty sure Oscar Pistorius runs in the heat. I'm pretty sure Missy Franklin still works out when she has algebra homework.

And here's the rub. I don't have to wait four years for my chance to shine. Hollywood makes movies and television shows year-round. They're doing it right now. They'll be doing it tomorrow. And they want good stories, right? Right. (I'm saying this over and over in my head to psych myself up.) Recently I paid some money to a wonderful coach to help me improve my writing and I've realized, I really need to take advantage of that. And so I am. Now. Not tomorrow. Right now. Even though I'm tired and I really want to curl up in front of the fans (yep, two pointed at my bed) and read Time.

But instead? I'm going to publish this blog and open up the script I'm working on because I've had a new opening scene running through my head all day and I've just been too preoccupied and lazy to write it down. So here's me, putting my money where my mouth is and being inspired.

"I am responsible for my dreams."

-- anonymous