Is there a thing you love to do but you totally suck at it? Yeah, me too. I actually have several, but the first one that comes to mind is mini golf. I love to play it, but I am terrible at it. Like routinely double the par bad. The only reason I have never amassed a world record high score is because of the 6 stroke max per hole rule. (If you’ve never played, the goal is to have the lowest score; therefore, if you have a propensity for extra strokes, that little maximum count is a life saver.) I will go to my grave arguing that the low score goal is ridiculous ‘cuz more putts means more time playing so I always feel as if I win. However, the nonsensical rules are what they are so I roll with it. Sadly, my ball doesn’t always.
The husband was home for my birthday this year and he asked me what I wanted to do. It had been a while since we’d played a round of putt-putt so I requested we rectify that situation. It was a beautiful, yet breezy, day. We drove down to a place we used to frequent in our younger days. It was a favorite course of ours, but it has, sadly, fallen into a state of disrepair. (You know it’s bad when they let you play for half the regular price, plus he didn’t charge me as a birthday gift, so we played for 75% off. My little bargain hunting heart was ecstatic!) Did that stop us? Heck no! I merely saw it as a chance to elevate my score – I mean game.
And elevate it I did! I hit the ball super hard and ended up off the course several times. I was a whiz at the bank shots. Who doesn’t love to watch the golf ball bounce around like it’s a pinball? I landed in the rocks a few times. My ball got hung up in a chasm between two askew pieces of turf on one hole. I only hit par twice. I truly stunk up the course. I loved every minute of it and I’d go back every day to play a crappy game again if I could. I don’t think the practice would make me any better though. Especially since I lack the patience and attention to actually calculate angles and adjust my stance or force. I play with the abandon of a twirling three year old. It brings me pure, unadulterated joy.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I enjoy the lack of pressure to be good at the game. It’s freeing. I have embraced the suck and am happier for it. How about you? Do you have something you love to do that you’re not skilled or gifted at? Give yourself permission to stink at it and do it anyway! Draw that picture. Write that story. Sing that song at the top of your lungs. Dance your rhythm-deficient heart out. Bowl all the gutter balls the alley will let you. Perfection is the enemy of joy so embrace your own suck and be free!
If you decide to embrace a task you love, but suck at, hit the comment section so we can all share in your joy. And before you go, please don’t forget to like, share and, if you haven’t already, subscribe. Thanks!!
Shannon R. Brown 