Upping Your Game

image from Stencil

One place, where for me, my life comes together with fiction is in writing. My books are, of course, total fiction for the characters, what happens to them, but it blends together my beliefs on life as I have lived it. I have seen what works, not only for me, but for others. How could that not influence my writing? Likely does for all those who write fiction. Of course, those who write non-fiction claim their books are true-- even if some will see it more as how they want it to be, than how it is.

It leads to this blog and its subject, which is on the title. It's how, I believe, we benefit most from life. Some get somewhere and they are stuck there. Maybe not stuck but figure they made it except made it to what?  I was talking about this with my husband and later my brother, who have worked all their lives in what I'd call expertises. 

In Ranch Boss's case, it was as an engineer, a technician, someone who figures out problems to fix. Following is one good example of how it worked for him. In the corporation where he worked, a technical problem arose, maybe more a breakthrough than a problem. He didn't know much about it. What then did he do? He studied with reading a lot of technical books in that area and then took an online class to refine what he knew and could use. He upped his game. He actually did that many times in his career and even now when retired.

Then with my brother, who is a mechanic with a gift. He ran into a new problem with engines. He could have sat back and expected someone else to take care of it. Or said, it's just how life goes today. Instead, he got books and studied what it would take to fix that new problem. He upped his game

Upping my game recently where it comes to my writing, one of my novellas (27,000 words) seemed finished. Fine story as it was, maybe even more popular where folks like shorter reads. The thing was that I had the opportunity to upgrade it to more story, more character development, and I went for it. This one ended up 82,000+ words. Now, it's a full novel, or will be when it comes out maybe in May or June. I upped its game and mine. 

I didn't know if readers would like delving into the deeper more challenging aspects of a relationship, as well as more action. Well, it's what this book now offers. 

When you bring two people together, who come from different worlds, it can take some doing to make it believable that it will yield a happy ending. I saw the extended potential with these two characters and wanted to have the enjoyment of writing about it. In different ways, they each had to up their games. They didn't do it to entice the other person, but because the relationship allowed them to see who they truly wanted to be.

It is not changing to fit, but upping your game. Upping your game is being more of who you actually are. To me, upping your game is to feel proud of yourself, not because you have to. While, it could work out that you got a better job because the boss saw you upping your game and admired that quality of worker. Could be, but I don't think it's why it's part of a satisfying life. You do it for yourself.  In most every type of work, there are ways to up your game to feel better about what you're doing.

If you are out in the world and have to look good, upping your game might mean going to used stores to improve your wardrobe, when you can't afford new. I know about that as I had a very stylish aunt who taught me. I needed to up my game in my high school as a lot of the girls dressed really well. I couldn't afford what they probably spent, but used worked and who knew the difference. Kind of fun to bargain shop too.

I see a lot of folks who get somewhere in life and expect it to hold them there, until the end of their time. Some could get to thinking-- that boss is mean and does not deserve me to improve myself. Well, the job might still stay there, life could indeed go on, but a culture is better off when more folks up their games. There even is a New Testament scripture that fits this scenario: Matthew 25:14-30. I know not all look to the Bible for wisdom, but I'll bet you can find similar beliefs in other scriptures regarded as holy.

It is rewarding to look around for new answers and ask the question-- what would it take? It is good for our own body, brain and emotions, rather than being like Scrooge in the novella, A Christmas Story, where he wants to hold onto what he thinks he has. He found out otherwise for true joy in his life.

Guess what! And you know this one. We actually have nothing material from earth that we take with us when we go... just our souls and what we have done with them. So, up your game.

 February 23, 2025 -- Nikon CoolPix P900 camera -- photo by Ranch Boss