A Valuable Lesson

Hey Power Girl,

I have missed you!  I hope you have missed me too!

I was in New York for the first 2 weeks of July dancing at The Dance Awards!  I loved it!  It was my favourite dance experience yet.

I met so many amazing people and was surrounded by so much talent.  The staff, of The Dance Awards, were so inspiring and elicited the very best from me.

I had the hardest, yet most rewarding lesson while I was there…

I didn’t make it in the top ten for Best Dancer (made the top twenty), because I lost focus during my solo and consequently “blew” my solo round.

I was so disappointed  with myself.

Have you ever blown something big?

Blown something when it really counted?

You know, I practice my solo perfectly ALL THE TIME, but when it really counted I BLEW IT!!!!

So many things raced through my head.

How could I have performed my WORST when it should have been my BEST?

How must my teacher, Mr. Lupien, feel about me now?

He has been so dedicated to me all year and I didn’t just blow it for me, but for him too!

How must my parents feel about me right now?

They sacrifice so much of their time and money for me and again, I didn’t just blow it for me, but for them too!

I even thought of YOU!

I’m your coach and I hope your role model.

I strive to be my best so that I can inspire you!  I wondered if you would be disappointed in my lack of success.

All these feelings made me feel AWFUL!!!!!

Awful for about 10 minutes!!!!

For 1o minutes I thought I was a failure because I had blown it!!!

Choices….Pack it in and give up.

Try something new.

OR… Get it together!

Step up and Shake it off!!!

What do you think I did?

That’s right Power Girl!   You know me well!

I stepped up and danced my hardest for the rest of the competition!

I chose to find a lesson in my defeat and to use that lesson to make me stronger.

To make me hungrier!  To make me work harder, both on and off the stage!!!!

I will strive to achieve better!

Yes I messed up!  Yes I blew it when it counted most!  Yes I let my teacher and my parents down!  Above all, I let myself down.

Forget about beating myself up!

I have w0rk to do.

I need to get myself stronger in both body and mind.

My mind was weak and that is why I lost focus.  It happened.   I wish it didn’t, but it did!

In a way, I’m glad it happened because now I am working harder than ever before.

I have a vision for my life.

I WILL NOT let one failure take me off course.

If anything, that failure has solidified what I want for myself and my life.

It is not about winning, but it is about being the BEST I CAN BE!!!!!

Joanne Goethe said to “dream as though a wish upon a shooting star was a guarantee”

Power Girl, I want you to really focus on what YOU want out of life.

Go crazy with this.

Dream BIG!

Dream the impossible.

Now believe that you can do it.

Start acting as though you have done it!

Want success so badly that you feel you have already achieved it!!!

You go girl, because I believe in YOU!!!

Your friend and coach,

Jessy Lipke

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