In Praise of Participation Trophies

Learning something new is hard. When you first start to master any skill, you fumble and make mistakes. It’s an awkward process, and it takes encouragement to keep going.

I’ve noticed that when we learn, we gravitate towards the skills that are easiest for us. Reading came easily to me, so I read a lot. All that practice made it even easier, and now I’m an avid reader for life.

When I practiced Taekwondo, I noticed that some kids seemed to instinctively understand how to perform complicated spinning kicks and routines. They were standout martial artists – but if you asked them to show you exactly how they did what they did, they couldn’t. They couldn’t break it down into steps that a less-athletic student could master.

If you ask me, there’s no such thing as a “natural.” All natural ability springs from a lifetime of messing around, just for fun, and getting better at small skills that make up part of a larger and more impressive skill set.  The building blocks of skill are constructed during play.

Those terrific young martial artists I met probably spent their whole lives jumping and spinning around just for fun. We readers will read anything – our eyes are drawn to words, wherever they are found. Great engineers from little tinkerers grow; pretty much anyone who does what they love for a living probably started by doing basic elements of that work for fun.

So how does that fit with participation trophies? Because if your early efforts are applauded, then that makes it easier to keep your spirits up and keep going. Support from others can help smooth over those early awkward attempts.

Back in the day, I wasn’t anyone’s idea of a star performer. As a result, I often felt like the Invisible Girl. Did I give up too easily? Maybe. Many years later, I’ve learned to follow my dreams, with or without outside encouragement.

But I admit that I wish there were participation trophies for grown-ups. Something to acknowledge that I tried, this week, to eat sensibly. That I kept up with those promises to myself – that I’m persevering toward my goal of becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise.

So what if it’s a long shot? Aren’t those the best shots to take?

A little friendly pat on the back isn’t a bad way to encourage perseverance. I say, give out those trophies and ribbons. You never know what diamond in the rough you might be polishing.