#1122 I literally cannot change that lightbulb

I can’t believe how bad I am at stuff!  My friend Todd came over (for the 10th time) to install the pump in my pond.  He has shown me how to do it, but I have effed up so many simple mechanical maneuvers I don’t even trust myself to put in the proverbial lightbulb.

I used to spend a lot of time criticizing my ineptitude in this area. I use Zig Zigler’s funny description of this all the time saying: “I can’t do it. I had a mechanical bypass when I was younger.”

The critic in my head was loud and incessant. He conditioned me to failure long before I got started, letting me know in advance that I would certainly make a mess of whatever I was attempting to do with my hands. The thing was, I was raised to do these things.  It was part of my identity as a man – (thanks Dad).  The failures weren’t just about the fried motor, misaligned lock, or the lousy paint job. They were about me.  I sucked (or so my critic kept telling me.) It was never “I suck at home repair,” it was “I suck.”

So why am I telling you this?  Because it took me 40 years of adulthood to finally wrestle that critic to the ground and muzzle him like Hannibal Lecter.

I’m a good business consultant and coach.  I write well.  I’m a strong leader and have accomplished impossible goals as a fundraiser.  I cook well, am an excellent public speaker, and know how to make people feel good about themselves.  

No, I can’t swap out an outlet or figure out how to change the oven bulb (I’m serious about that), but I don’t care anymore.  I hire folks who are good at those things (or get my darling bride to do it. She’s great at these things!) and focus my time on what I excel at.

I’m telling you this because I now understand it was all unnecessary. The beating I took at my own hand was avoidable. I was running someone else’s programming. I’m happy to be good at what I am good at, and it’s enough. It’s complete, whole, and good. I couldn’t give two sticks about what I’m not good at. I am truly at peace with it. 

 In fact, I like the stuff I’m good at and have no desire to be good with a hammer or drill. This is a recent peace for me and I share it in hopes that you can get to yours much sooner than I did.  

I’m not saying to give up on something you’d like to learn if you’d like to know it. I spent a lifetime miserably trying to learn something I didn’t want to learn but thought I was supposed to learn.

My electrician and I can light up a room, albeit in different ways. We each need to applaud what we do well and let go of the voice that wants us to feel less than because of what we can’t.

Own Your Sales Gene…