Champion is a Verb
Stoke a culture of championing
Vol 2 of 100
For a long time I have cultivated a philosophy of championing the work of others. If I’m doing a play reading, why not invite a friend or to join me and we create a series? If I’m interesting in upping my writing game, why not celebrate the work that I’m reading? If I’m promoting my show, why not get the ball rolling sharing the dates and info for other performers?
It takes a little extra time, but I’m already making space for my thing. It’s really a little extra push, and the momentum and visibility for all of our ventures increases.
Classical Champion
In the classical world, the champion was a civilizing force. The mythic stories of Heracles and Theseus pitched the classic hero into a wilderness full of beasts and monsters that he tamed or eradicated. the stories of the heroes are set in the previous age, at the edges of empires and yet-to-be-founded kingdoms.
The champion cleared the way for the cities and the order that would follow in their wake.
To Champion
To champion a cause, champion others, ye knights of old champion for a lady…
Championing is not the same as winning. Don Quixote was championing as he tilted with windmills fighting for right in his rusted armor and imagined organization of the universe.
The champion exists when there are others to champion for, to represent, and to aid. Even our sporting champions represent cities, or Provences, or nations. A champion is something larger than the extraordinary talent or skill or action they perform. There has to be a community that they excel for.
We Champions
Who are you holding up and celebrating this week? What have you championed in the past? How do you hold space for others?
Tell me your championing story in the comments.
Not realted to my art work but in my mind I have championed the leadership skills of my team lead at work. The guy is not perfect at all for sure but I have been working overtime on other teams and some of those we trained and were later placed elsewhere still remember the training and troubleshooting they learned with us. So I felt like a "Proud Parent" when one young person resolved an issue for his team and bring up my Team leader's name. I also found my team lead texts back and forth with some of these we trained even though they moved on to other teams and departments. Talk about influence though networking. It was not lst on me that this was Seth's 'People like us do things like this." playing out. So I'm sure with all the bantering of sharing fish stories and other things problem solving and troubleshooting advice is given. My problem is it is hard to say no to him. He asked me to come in on my day off to help him with a struggling team that needed support. I said yes as he used his connections to find a contractor to pour my concrete kiln pad at the pottery. He sent his father and uncle out and they did a job I would have waited at least another year for.
Funnily, enough, I was championing you earlier today, @Kato. check my daily post in purple space for today!