About two months ago, I started playing padel.
Nothing too competitive or too intense, just a few light games a month to move and have some fun with good friends.
Even if it’s just for fun, after a few matches, a natural desire to improve emerged.
So, I started paying more attention to how I play.
And I realized that most of the time, I don’t really know what I am doing.
I don’t know why the awful shots are so terrible.
And, most importantly, I don’t know how I make the excellent ones.
I just hit the ball.
Sometimes it’s great.
Sometimes it’s not.
But I don’t know why or how.
And if I don’t know why or how, I can’t repeat them.
Not intentionally, at least.
My shots are totally random.
It’s not ideal if you want to perform well.
But, after a while, it’s not even fun.
So, I started focusing on the basics.
One at a time.
To understand what I’m doing and become more intentional.
It’s a long way.
It makes the game less enjoyable for now.
But I believe it will make everything better once I master the basics.
I wonder how often I do the same in other aspects of my life.
Do I know why some things work and others don’t?
Am I self-aware in my actions?
If not, I may need to focus on the basics and practice.
What are you doing without really knowing why or how?