It’s Never Too Late!

So often people tell me about things that they wish they had done in the past.  I hear statements like “I should have learned French” or “I could have become a skier”.   Well, what is stopping you from doing this now?  Did you know that you can become bilingual in 90 days if you only speak the new language?  Any sport can be started at any time, even if it is not the season for it.  You can always prepare with exercise and study.

This fall I decided to learn some new things and one of them is to shoot pool.  Here are some the tips that helped me and hopefully will inspire you to start towards your goal:

1. Know your “why”.  Most of my children and grandchildren are pool players.  We laugh about the day when I watched my sons play with amazing skills and asked them how they got so good.  They admitted that they had skipped school to play the game!  (Shocking as a parent but humorous when the children are adults and admit this).  If you want to be closer to family and friends, it is wise to move into their interests and world rather than expect them to move into yours.
2. Find a mentor. I have wonderful friends who live near me.  Often, I see Tim alone in the billiard room of our complex practicing.  I asked him if he would teach me about the game.  He and his wife, Gloria met me and not only shared wisdom but also gave me a book that I could study.  They encouraged me – even when I did little to deserve it – and Tim gave me specific pointers to improve my form.  Find someone who can mentor you!
3. Research – The internet offers a lot of videos on any subject from beginner right through to championship levels. It is surprising to know that there is no one right way of doing pretty well anything.  In fact, there are actually many different sets of rules depending on what topic interests you and those who are involved.
4. Practice – Anything worthwhile takes effort and I have found in my life that if I want to get good at something it will take both time and commitment. In fact, those who invest about 10,000 hours in any area is usually classed as a “master”. 
5. Consider the price you will pay – I had no idea that my body would be sore from shooting pool. It looks simple to just slowly walk around the table and bend over to hit a few balls.   I was wrong!  Also, you need to put your pride away when you are with other people and totally mess up!  Some activities will also require a financial investment.  I am fortunate that there are two pool tables in our complex which I am already paying for with condo fees.  Look around you.  There are likely activities that you can do without cost.
6. Immerse yourself in the activity – I have been enjoying movies that are based on pool players such as Minnesota Fats. Your library and the internet likely have many books, films and resources for you to enjoy.  Also, you might decide to buy tickets to become a spectator or even purchase a club member that promotes this interest in your community.
7. Be patient – skills take time to hone and if you are going to become proficient, you will likely need to allow time for this to occur. It is really better to set a slower but consistent routine than to start with so much gusto that you lose interest and quit.

8. Enjoy the journey – I am having fun! I look forward to challenging family and friends once I have more expertise.  Also, there is a big serendipity for me.  You see Tim and Gloria are building a house outside of our condo village and then will lose their access to the amenities.  At that time, I can invite them as my guests so Tim can continue to enjoy the billiard room!

What is your unfulfilled dream?  Is there something that you always wanted to learn or do but just never got started?

Well, there isn’t any better time than right now to make a plan and take the first step!