As a youth, I desparately wanted to be a pro basketball player. I seemed to have the height–at thirteen, I was already about 5 feet, 9 inches tall–and I practiced endlessly.
For a year solid, I walked down to the local blacktop, rain or shine, even with snow, snow-shovel in hand, to shoot hoops for at least an hour a day. Sometimes other kids would join me, and sometimes not. I would shoot from all over the court, aiming for that perfect “swish” through the hoop.
A year, and much hard work later, I still sucked. Winners never quit, they say. I say, if you never win, and never quit, you’re insane. So I quit. I was a terrible basketball player. Still am, I suspect, but I stopped even trying to play about a decade ago because it seemed like I twisted my ankle every single time, and spent two weeks in crutches to pay for my fun.
But you know what? Sometimes, you find out there are things that you are good at, and you just didn’t know it.
Well, I recently discovered that I’m good at flying model airplanes. I guess all that time playing video games paid off. Really, flying is just two joysticks. Rather like Robotron with wings. And a nasty, expensive crunch if the robots get you.
I suspect the skill would translate to full-scale airplanes, too, but it may take a while before I can save up the money for a pilot’s license.
What about you? What new skill have you learned in the last year or two and discovered you’re good at something you didn’t know you were good at?
I’m Good At Two Things In Life
And playing music is the other one.