Not Good

There are some things I’m not good at. I would like to be, but that doesn’t necessarily change my talent or ability. To clarify, I do think we can learn new things and become more proficient. And, in most cases, we will get better. Things that have a logical order like math, science, working a computer. These are things that we can learn, and over time and practice, will improve our skill set. When it comes to things that aren’t technically and logically driven, do the same rules apply?

I’m not sure, but a couple of things that come to mind are things that I thought I would excel at, simply because I liked them. Pottery is one. I loved pottery and naturally assumed I would be a great potter, thinking that I would create all these beautiful pieces. My first time at the potter’s wheel I threw a flat piece of ragged pancake rather than the intended shapely bowl. The second, third, and fourth time netted the same results. I never improved and eventually realized there were other crafty things I could do that brought satisfaction and more success.

I also thought I would be exceptional at playing the piano, especially since I loved music and came from a talented musical family. After eight years, I realized I could technically play what I was taught and could remember, but I didn’t have the intuition or feel for the music. This was a very big revelation. I now fully understood the meaning of “natural talent.” There are people who have a natural talent at activities like dance, golf, (Tiger Woods) art, photography, writing, singing (Beyonce) and then people who practice at getting better. And I may be on a ramble here, but basically what I’m trying to say is it is okay to recognize that you are not good at something and may never be good at that something. Move on, celebrate what you are good at.

xo, jan