sucking at something.
I recently started playing Padel, and I genuinely suck at it.
Sports involving props aren’t really my thing. I’m constantly worried the ball will smack me in the face, and I spend most of my warm-ups wondering how to wrap my fingers around the racket—it’s tough.
I typically don’t start something new unless I'm fairly confident I'll be reasonably good at it from the get-go. But somehow—a mix of peer pressure and extra free time after being laid off—I decided to give Padel a shot, and now I can’t get enough of it.
It’s refreshing to find something I love doing even though I’m bad at it—and I’m fully embracing my inner newbie.
We often put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect at everything, and doing the opposite feels pretty life-changing. Plus, starting at the bottom means there’s nowhere to go but up, and having a coach is pretty cool too (wink wink).
Everyone who’s great at something probably started out not-so-great—sucking at something is just the first step to getting good at it (at least that's what my coach says).
So, if there’s something you’ve been itching to try but have been putting off because you're worried you might not get it right the first time, just go for it! You might end up loving it.
about the author:
Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.
