By the age of 8 I was destined to be an olympic gymnast. Yep, coming straight out of The Almaden Gymnastics Club, I made it to the Jr. Olympics! You wouldn’t believe it now, but I was the tiniest for my age. The most flexible, I had the highest tuck and the spirit to just jump, depending simply on muscle memory. Unfortunately, due to the demanding costs, competition travels and overwhelming commitment we just couldn’t keep up.

Next I picked up a glove and began my lasting run with softball. I loved it. Mama, Daddy and my Aunties coached us! We loved it! Sports consumed my childhood. Committing to a sport was the best thing my parents instilled in me.

There’s something incredibly magical about the Olympics. Winter or Summer it doesn’t matter. When the Olympics are on my mind, heart and soul are captivated. The fact that our entire world is watching and being brought together is AMAZING. It’s like for just two weeks we can all pretend that we understand each other. We understand a common goal and no language barriers exist. It’s just so freakin’ cool.

I started thinking about how the Olympics inspires my business. It’s just so hard to believe that these athletes train their hearts out for decades to simply shine for 30 seconds or a couple runs down the slopes. Their life is consumed by their sport and even their family sacrifices so much for these opportunities.

Then I started thinking about the magic of four years. Four years to train. Four years to literally be nonexistent while they put the time in when no one is looking. It’s like these athletes are invisible until trials and qualifiers start just months before the Olympics begin.

It’s funny how I can directly relate this to my photography business. It really takes four years to even be recognized + respected as a professional. Just like an Olympic athlete, you may be a local legend or have a small following in your home town… but no one outside of your area really knows who you are or seeks for your business until you put the time in. You sweat it out, make mistakes, work all hours of the night + day when no one is looking and never give up.

I encourage you to keep going. When your business feels like it’s in a rut, the bookings aren’t coming in or you simply feel burnt out. Don’t quit, just rest. Let your mind and body take a break, but never ever quit. Everything worth gold takes time.

I’ll be cheering for you!!!

XOXO, Quianna

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