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"I don't think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you've got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, which all teach you things and make you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them."
Society puts so much focus on being great at one thing. We highlight them in the world: the Michael Jordan's and Tom Brady's. There is nothing wrong with being great at one thing. Except for those who don't believe they're good at anything.
Kurt Vonnegut was a writer whose career spanned five decades. It was the above quote from an archeologist that changed his life. He was asked some questions about his life. He replied with everything he had done like theater, violin, piano, etc. He stated he wasn't any good at them. (1)
After the archeologist's reply, he said it changed how he thought about his life.
He said this about the encounter, "…I went from a failure, someone who hadn't been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them."
These quotes spoke to me the most. It is what inspired me to start on my journey.
I'm not a writer. I didn't train at college. Nor did I take classes later in life. I have no background in it. For some reason, I have always felt this pull to write.
Now I write. The beauty of trying these activities is the experience and perspective. I enjoy the process and the challenge of improving.
You could have other hobbies and interests that give you perspective on your work.
I read a public speaking book recently called Back of the Napkin. The author, an artistic person, used his artsy visual side to develop his speeches and presentations. The book contains so many drawings.
Musician Mike Shinoda from the band Linkin Park is an artist. He did much of the art on past Linkin Park albums and his records.
Author Kurt Vonnegut continued to paint and draw for much of his life.
Don't be so focused on only participating in hobbies where you can win. Don't skip experiencing sports because you don't think you're good. The challenges are good. Don't avoid participating in contests because you can't win.
You don't know who else might see you at the competition. Rap superstar Eminem didn't win when he competed in the Rap Olympics. He was in second place.
He is the one who got a contract and a career.
While focusing on your goals, don't be afraid to dabble in other pursuits. Keep your focus, but don't avoid something because you won't be good at it.
We all need a release. Besides, you'll never know how your hobby could benefit your professional life.
Can You Draw?
If you ask a group of children around five years old if they can draw, most, if not all, will say yes. Pose this same question to adults, and only a few hands will raise. Even people I've known are good artists who don't think highly of their art.
They compare their art to others and don't think they are as good. This is the point in Back of the Napkin. You may not draw what we consider well, but we can all draw. We can all communicate through visuals, even if you have to draw figures to convey a point.
The point is we should think differently about how we approach things. You may not be Rembrandt, DaVinci, or Michelangelo. You may not be Mozart or Linkin Park.
Even the most committed of us needs a release from a hobby. You never know where your hobby might lead.
Hobbies Improve Happiness
According to The Journal of the American Society on Aging, "Engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring knowledge and skills. Many of these skills become sedimented in the mind and body of the person. Once acquired, they can often be relied upon, despite the loss of memory and other cognitive skills." (1)
A further study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies asserts that participating in hobbies with others improves social interaction skills. (2)
Hobbies promote healthy minds. This is why music is a treatment alternative for people suffering Post Traumatic Stress.
Suppose you are stressing out about your business or work. Consider doing something on the side as a hobby.
Challenge Yourself
You may not want to take too many risks in your business. A hobby allows us to be a risk-taker. You can take chances when working on side projects. Take approaches you might not consider if you were doing the activity as work.
I tell people to find ways to work their hobby into their professional life. Nothing too overwhelming. Find little places you may be able to include your hobby. What if you were a professional trainer and pianist? You could bring in a piano and make background music.
You may create music for the course to teach subjects.
People love a challenge. Maybe you don't want to push the envelope in your professional life right now. With a hobby, you can push it. Satisfy the need to challenge yourself.
Those who challenge themselves create the world.
What's Next?
We often view activities we don't do well as a net loss. In reality, it can be a critical win. You are challenging yourself and your mind. You are learning different skills you may be able to use later.
Think about the activities you do for fun as an abstract form of training. You may be preparing yourself for a future you don't see coming.
Having a hobby or outside activity helps with happiness. It keeps your mind sharp, which is helpful in older ages. A hobby can also be valuable for social connections.
Push the envelope. Satisfy the desire for risk in a relatively safe environment. Challenge yourself.
Pursue activities. Not from the perspective of win or lose but from learning to do. Training your brain to learn something new or find another passion is valuable. Life isn't how we always see it. This is where you can genuinely maximize happiness.
References
(1) Yatczak, J. (2011). The Power of Ritual and Hobbies : Engaging in Favorite Pastimes Can Help People with Dementia. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 35(3), 71–73.
(2) Steinberg DB, Simon VA. A Comparison of Hobbies and Organized Activities among Low Income Urban Adolescents. Journal of Child & Family Studies. 2019;28(5):1182-1195. doi:10.1007/s10826-019-01365-0