I’m Not Good At Everything

Hi there!  How was your weekend?  I had the pleasure of heading to my brother’s house for a bbq on Saturday.  My sister-in-law makes some amazing food so I always like going to their house! 🙂  

We also made sure to have plenty of beach time this weekend!  I just finished reading On the Island where two people get stranded on a beach in the Maldives.  The Hubs said that was my dream…he’s not far off! 🙂

Switching gears…Does being good at something define us?  If you are good at your job, does that mean that you are a career person?  If you are good at running, does that mean you are exclusively a runner?  If you are good at languages, does that mean you must be an interpreter or work in international relations?  What if you want to be any of these things but you aren’t good at it?  I guess the more accurate question is, do you have to be good at something to do it?

I’ve always been one of those people who enjoys trying new experiences and doing a lot of different things.  You might have noticed on this blog that if there is a new fitness studio, a new type of workout or a new DVD, I’m trying it.  I have an intrinsic need to try new things.  I love kickboxing, dancing, Zumba, barre, yoga, golf, tennis, swimming, kayaking…the list could go on and on.  But I’m not the best at any of these things.  There is always someone else who is a better dancer, a stronger player or just plain better than me.  Sometimes I don’t even care that I’m mediocre.  For example, I’ve been playing golf for about two decades and I’m still pretty terrible.  I only play if I can cheat!  But I have no desire to really improve.  All I want is to get out in the sunshine, hit the ball around and enjoy some time with friends or family.  Should I strive for more?

It seems like these days we are programmed to be the best we can be.  Work as hard as you can and you will achieve.  Focus on your goals and you will succeed.  While I don’t think there is anything wrong with this message, I wonder if we sacrifice some general pleasure by forcing ourselves to be the best at only a few select things.  If I spend all of my time becoming a better tennis player, does that mean I can’t try surfing?  Also, what if I’m a really good lawyer but I hate it?  When will I have the opportunity to cultivate a different skill if I’m working hard being really good at one thing?

There is also a perception that unless you are the best at something, it’s not worth your time pursuing it.  I know I’m not the *best* blogger out there.  There are probably hundreds of other blogs with better photography, better content, better ads, better sponsored posts, better traffic, etc.  But I love my little space on the internet and I’m going to keep writing and posting and photoing.  Should I stop because I’ll never make a lot of money off it or I’ll never be picked of the best ambassadorships?

So I may not be the best at everything, but I’m going to keep doing it anyway.  So what if I’m not the best cyclist in the world.  I love it!  So what if I’ve only been rockclimbing a few times…I enjoy it! 

Readers, do you feel pressure to be the best at something?  Do you find pleasure in doing things you aren’t good at or do they frustrate you?  Do you like to try a lot of new things or stick to what you know and are good at?