I’ve owned a telescope for the last 15 years. I even had a small scope as a child. But I’ve never really learned how to use it. I don’t quite know how all the knobs work…which lenses to use. Usually, I just point it towards the moon and take a gander then call it a night.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve aimed for planets in the past…and usually get frustrated and quit.
I know there are thousands of articles out there with how to use the scope; YouTube is full of how-to videos. But I haven’t been super motivated to dig into it.
The other night, lightning struck not once, but twice as I found both Jupiter (and some of its’ moons) plus Saturn and its’ rings!
It was thrilling!
But it also brought this thought into my head around how we view activities today…we don’t do things to enjoy them anymore. We do them to ‘perfect’ them. Worse, if we decide to pick up an activity, it's with a societal norm that we're doing it to become an expert.
My own experiences with my telescope mirrored this mentality. I felt the pressure to "be perfect" any time I took it out...so much so, that I hesitated to actually take it out!
The (Lost) Art Of Fun
I know what some of you are thinking: Wouldn’t using the telescope be “more fun” if I had learned how to use it properly? You aren’t wrong…however, as a society? We eschew “fun” and instead focus on ‘winning, outcomes and productivity’ when it comes to activities. Even leisure activities.
If you have kids, you’ll relate to this: when my son was young, he loved Lego sets. But he would throw away the instructions and not even build the thing that he was supposed to build. He’d make it up as he went. Just for the fun of it. Drove me nuts.
And in our society? His approach is just not acceptable. He should have built that actual thing! We tie the outcome to "having fun." Therefore, if we don't have the desired outcome (producing the result)...it can't be fun. If we pick up an activity, every guru/expert/influencer will tell you the path to becoming “great” at it. And if you don’t become great…or worse…don’t want to become great? *Gasp* Here comes the shaming.
Why does it matter if I’m an expert backyard astronomer? Why can’t I just goof around on a telescope and get lucky? Why do I have to engage in hours upon hours of research and work…and then turn it into a “side hustle?” Why can't my kiddo build whatever the heck he wants with his Lego set? Be creative and enjoy the activity despite the outcome?
I’m more than a little tired of being told that “productivity” must be a part of every activity I do. This notion of "be 1% better than yesterday" does not, indeed, need to be present in every single aspect of my life.
In fact: Hey, experts/gurus/influencers…shut up and sit down.
You Have My Permission to Have Fun
I play a little guitar. I’m not great at it. I have a hard time barring chords and my strum patterns are always janky. I’ve found work-arounds…but there are some songs that are just out of reach for me because of this gap. According to experts/gurus/influencers…I should stay up until 2AM and play until my fingers bleed to fix this deficiency, because anything we do…we should do it to slay! We should do it to be “the best.”
Here's the problem: This mentality causes people to reject trying new things. There’s so much pressure to turn it into your next side hustle or profession or to become an expert on it. In fact, sharing this article on Linked In will probably cause dozens of recruiters and hiring managers to "tsk"and shed tears at the lack of commitment to productivity I have.
*Insert eye-roll*
We’ve lost the ability to do things for fun. Just for the sheer joy of it. We’re told “the only way to have fun is to be great at that thing.”
Bullshit.
I’ve screwed around with my telescope for 15 years…haphazardly (and, admittedly with frustration)…and the other night? Seeing two planets? Felt like finding gold. I was filled with joy.
I’ve wasted a lot of years staring at the moon and being frustrated at not finding planets because I was so wrapped up in the outcome. In “finding” the planet…versus having fun. And being present.
Dear reader, you have my permission to try new things and just enjoy the moment. You have my permission to embrace the adventure of something new without the pressure of creating an "outcome" or a "side-hustle."
I’m so tired of this notion that everything we want to do…we should hire coaches, read books, watch videos all in order to “be the best.” Screw that. You want to do something new because it looks fun? Go do it. Have fun. Ignore the experts.
And the beauty of this approach? Once we enjoy the activity? We may be more likely to want to improve upon it. To get better. To perfect it. I'm not saying we shouldn't want those things! It's not a "bad" notion.
But going into an activity with the pressure of “I have to be great at this thing” is killing people’s desire to try new things! That's the notion we have to eradicate!
Be like my kiddo and throw the instructions away. Build whatever you want! Have fun!
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