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| photo credit: crawford orthodontics via photopin cc |
When I was in 8th grade I decided that I was going to try out to be a cheerleader. Having never done this before, I was always in sports, but never anything so girly as Cheerleading. And at the time I was a black lipstick and nail polish wearing, constantly in cut off baggy jeans, and listening to anything by Nine Inch Nails. Essentially, a goth (before emo was a thing).
I was anything but a cheerleader. But I made the effort. I went to learn the routines, while the preppy gals eyed me and giggled. I talked with the cheerleading coach, explaining to her that I’d never done it and wanted to give it a try.
My try out came. And I gave it my all. I was peppy, I did my jumps, I smiled, I shouted. I even bought an outfit the week before to show my commitment. But alas, I did not become a cheer leader. I shrugged and went back to my rage music and black eyeliner.
We can’t all be cheerleaders.
Up until that moment my experience was in team competitive sports (volleyball, basketball, softball). I wasn’t networked with anyone on the cheerleading team. I didn’t have the skills except for those that I learned at the try-out practices. Deep down I think I knew I wasn’t going to make it.
The point is we can’t all do the things we have a vague inclination to do. In reality, with little experience/education, networking, or hard skills – it’s downright difficult to go after a job/project/dream. It’s hard enough to find those things when you do have the skills. The key is to go with what you are good at, or to seek out the resources needed to get good at it.
If I had really wanted to continue my dream of being a cheerleader I would have gone to camps, read up on it, asked to join a class, etc. Reality is – I just wanted to test the waters. (Perhaps I had an unknown talent?) Turns out, I was wrong. And that’s okay. I don’t regret my Cheerleading try out experience.
The key take away is – It’s one more thing I know I’m not good at. And that’s always valuable.
HRTact 