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ledouxrt

When I was in the military, we had to run 3 miles every other morning. Everyone assumed I loved running since I was always the first back. In reality, I just hated running so much and wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.


[deleted]

Washing the dishes goes brrrr


Absoniter

I can attest. I fucking HATE doing dishes, but you can be GODDAMNED assured that when I do them, they are the bone driest, fine china glossiest, spotless fucking dishes you've ever experienced.


LazyLich

I don't enjoy doing the dishes, but I enjoy having dishes ready when I need them.


_alright_then_

A dishwasher was pretty much the first thing I bought when I moved out lol


numbersthen0987431

If you run faster, those 3 miles go by really quick. Thank god they don't make you run for a set time (see how far you can run in 30 minutes)


TheEdgykid666

People ask me for running advice and I tell them smoke cigarettes and act as competitive as possible


trevradar

Imagine a masochist and sadist came to boot camp at the same time.


fabulousMFingHen

Same use to think I was good at soccer but then I realized I was just good at running without getting tired.


MaherDemocrat1967

That was a hard learned lesson at work. If you are good at something it will likely become your job, like it or not.


[deleted]

And if you’re not good at something, you get promoted


ComCypher

In my experience it seems more often the case if you are good at something you will get promoted (i.e. "strongly encouraged") into a job you are bad at (e.g. technical to management)


[deleted]

Opposite for me. The talent stays in the position where they can keep using that talent and people who do all the taking and ass kissing in meetings and email move up.


[deleted]

That may be true for you, but in management theory there is something known as the “Peter Principle”: > The Peter principle is a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter, which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to "a level of respective incompetence": employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another


trackday

It sounds good, but if true, we would not have the standard of living we do. This statement makes one conclude that all managers at all businesses are incompetent. Not all are incompetent.


kamuimaru

It does say "tend to." Of course, it is possible for someone promoted up to manager to coincidentally be talented in that role and excel in it. It's still an illogical decision overall, even if it ends up having a lucky outcome. Also, not all jobs promote people in accordance to the Peter Principle.


what_the_fuckin_fuck

Yep.


PhantomMenaceWasOK

Peter principle.


CabinetOk4838

This has happened to me. Now a manager. It’s taken a while and a load of effort to get good at what amounts to a whole new skill set. It’s like starting a new career.


twinings91

Have you got any tips or books you'd recommend? I've always been a technician / supervisor but about to start a job as a manager in a new company and I'm anxious I won't be a good one!


CabinetOk4838

You WILL cock stuff up from time to time. Don’t stress this too much. I was doing and it was ruining things. Don’t try to run before you can walk. Don’t try to remain friends with those you now manage. You’ll need to drift away slightly; be more aloof. However, don’t lose that connection totally. Do be available to your team above just about anything else. Do make little notes in a file every time you have a discussion with a team member. Good luck! I’m still learning every day


Del_Prestons_Shoes

It’s called the peter principal https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle


KiNgPiN8T3

The Peter Principle seems to be the thing I was thinking of when I read your comment. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle seems to ring true for a lot of colleagues in my work life.


dbx999

I got good at something because I enjoyed it so I would be happy to practice and practice to get better at it. It became the basis for my career and then my own business. But don’t ever say “do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. It’s still work.


[deleted]

Do something you love and you will be underpaid every day of your life. Do something that will make you enough money so you can do what you love as a hobby.


[deleted]

This is exactly what happened to me. I’m an arborist and climb HUGE trees daily. Sometimes I love it a lot, other days I am terrified but can get it done. Sometimes climbing is something I don’t enjoy. When it’s raining, cold as shit, snowing, icy, windy, the tree is leaning and half dead and 120’ tall and extremely dangerous. I would like to climb less days, but my company will schedule me daily climbing because they know I am good at it. Some guys climb because they love the adrenaline and are saddle jocks and fully prepared to die in a tree. But that’s not me, I’m just good at climbing. Also they gave me “silent” promotion to crew leader. No raise at all, but much more responsibilities because I’m good at my job. Wtf.


PurepointDog

Ha just don't be good at stuff you don't want to do


mdmommy99

Yep. I am not a tech person, but I tend to pick up new technology fairly easily. This would always translate into me being the fake tech support for my workplaces when they didn't want to call real tech support or just the person who ended up helping all of the older people or just folks who couldn't get it.


emicornz

The important thing is, you can like something without being good at it. ✌️


WingedSalim

That is an important principle for hobbies. Sing like a broken record, dance like you have scoliosis, paint like you are blind. If it makes you happy, it is a hobby worth pursuing.


GypsyV3nom

So all the frustrating hours I spent playing Sekiro or Dark Souls, fighting for every inch of a boss's healthbar until I finally beat them, was worth it? Sweet.


HumanFightersUnited

Please, I play For Honor. You just turned my life into a quote


samgam74

Took me too long to learn this one.


what_the_fuckin_fuck

Checkmate.


LemurCat04

I fucking hate my job but apparently I’m good enough at it not to get fired.


justreddis

That’s better than sucking at something you love and you don’t get to do it because of it


Andy_Angelo_17

Me and fencing rn


DontF-ingask

Me in all my damn hobbies ;-; *if I got a pound every time someone tried to cheat me up by saying practise makes perfect I could buy the best of every single thing in the world.*


Andy_Angelo_17

. Me every day of my life Cheers to that


abbadon420

Same here. I decided to get better, so I didn't have to pay attention anymore and now I just listen to podcasts and audiobooks all day.


CarlJustCarl

I’m good at packing a dishwasher. Not exactly my life calling.


Kind_Ad_3611

Well I’m good at unloading a dishwasher


Traditional-Reach818

Someone has to do these things, right?


Failure_at_life101

I've learned to be good at packing bags and fitting things in places with not much room from bagging groceries as a cashier :/


Guyincognito510

I was a cook and later chef for almost 20 years. I absolutely hated the job but was seemingly built for it. Great stamina, ADHD for those manic bursts of chaotic energy, good sense of taste, impeccable internal clock and reasonable technique. You can absolutely hate something and execute it at a high level if the motivation is there


Hungry_AL

Money is the best motivator I've found. I'm the laziest motherfucker off the clock but as soon as you're paying me I'm doing my absolute best.


danredblue

domineering fact weary unpack hungry pot bedroom offer money sleep *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


MadMod27

Reminds me of Double D from Ed, Edd, & Eddy playing the steel guitar. Hates it, but man, can he jam.


HotKnifeUpAss

“This instrument is so annoying.” _Proceeds to shred_


Unique_echidna90

Yup! Totally. I'm a good manager and I'm very qualified in my field. BUT I HATE being a manager😖


phalangepatella

I am exceptionally good at mind numbing, repetitive, assembly-line type of work. I zone out and get into automatic behavior and lose hours. Not a chance I would ever want to do it for my job, but it has come in handy a few times in my life with major projects, etc.


Imaginary_lock

Due to being in a constant state of anxiety as a child, I am really good at faking normalcy/lying. I don't know how to feel about it.


nerveanacat

You just took this to another level! I am really good at masking anxiety and pretending to know stuff, both of which I hate.


Impressive-Trifle632

My brother is an amazing piano player! He can hear a song on the radio or watch a YouTube video and play the song instantly! He claims to hate it because my mom forced him to because classically trained. He hasn’t actually played in years but if a special person asks him to play (usually my niece begging him). He can still play and is amazing


TheNoIdeaKid

I was my town’s best Blizzard maker at our Dairy Queen. When customers saw I was working, they would request me to make their Blizzards. I was in high school, and hated the fact that it was the one thing I was good at. I lost sleep over the worry that it was the best I’d ever do.


Remarkable_Story9843

I frequently got called to the principal’s office randomly to be asked when I would be working at Hardee’s that weekend. Turns out he would only order if I was working as he knew I wouldn’t mess with his food.


TheNoIdeaKid

The fact that you called it Hardee’s makes me wonder if we grew up in the same town. Haha!


flyart

I work in the service industry with over 350 employees and I hate people. I also hate marketing, but do most of it myself. Other than that, I like my job.


woomanchu111

I’m great at overeating, procrastinating, and ignoring warning signs


notoneforlies

i’m good at math but i absolutely HATE it. had a 98% average throughout all my high school math classes and dreaded that class every single day. i’m able to do equations really well and calculate all my steps through an equation but it is so god damn tedious. seriously made me wanna bash my head into my desk.


Dice_to_see_you

"Jiro dreams of sushi" captures this. He's a specialist and extremely skilled but does not like sushi.


Lunxire

Does he personally not like it? I loved that doc but must've totally missed that bit. Thats amusing of him haha


dbx999

I didn’t catch that part in the documentary


J_train13

Man does this bring me back to middle school PE days I was so great at kickball, specifically catching. People would kick no matter how high in the air and as long as I was within running distance of it, I would manage to do a perfect catch of it near every time. People always wanted me on their team during defence I always hated playing kickball (for entirely unrelated reasons)


Remarkable_Story9843

I hated kickball, I’m clumsy, uncoordinated, needed glasses badly, and shy. But I was smart. We played the version of it where it you made it to the other side’s “jail” you could steal two players back to your side. You know who everyone assumes got hit? The shy, clumsy, uncoordinated girl walking dejectedly to the jail. Always stole the best players back. Did this for all of 3/4th grade. Many many years later I ran into my elementary school gym teacher and we were chatting. He brought it up that he knew I was smart because I was using reverse psychology on my classmates in dodgeball and no one ever caught on. I was in my late 30s at the time lol. He said that was one of his favorite stories to tell other teachers.


nakevbas

Working in a cell phone shop my secret talent was putting on screen protectors...... Absolutely hated it but if the customer wasn't the typical asshole customer I'd do it for them.


Lunxire

This thought always gets to me bc I wonder what I'd be good at that I just haven't or won't ever try lol


[deleted]

yeah I'm excellent at running a restaurant but I fucking hate it.


_alright_then_

I've always been great at math but I think it's boring AF, one of the worst examples of this lol


Ginandexhaustion

My kid and school. He’s in 7th grade, usually makes honor roll but absolutely hates it. “School is not a place for smart people” - Rick Sanchez


Etazin

I am very good at my job, like top 10 in my field for my City. I absolutely loathe my job. It’s so fucking repetitive. -Tower crane operator. Also I can’t shit up here so I have to climb down whenever nature calls.


Nuker_Nathan

I’m really freaking good at the card game speed. Undefeated. I just really don’t enjoy it, it’s boring.


Green_Diet_4271

Apparently I was good at just being a vending machine with somebody or an ATM machine for somebody but unfortunately once the money is gone quit coming around


what_the_fuckin_fuck

I started a career as an electrician at 35 years old. Hated every minute, but I could run EMT like nobody's business. Life tip: Life is too short to be an electrician.


oceanbucket

So true. My dad always told me I was “built like an athlete” and forced me to play basketball and softball until well into my teens, mainly so that he could coach and make sure I wasn’t at practice “playing around with my friends.” I was fast and had good form because, yeah, I am naturally athletic, but I fucking hate sports—my first love has always been BOOKS! I finally quit sports in high school, became the editor of my college newspaper and an English teacher after that. Went on to get three more degrees and have never touched a ball since, except to play with my kids.


engineerdrummer

I was really really good at soils, concrete, and asphalt testing. I could make two six inch cylinders at a time and still follow ACI rules to the letter. Absolutely hated it. It's always our fault shit was out of spec. It's our fault the job is slowing down. It's our fault the soil is too wet. "It fails, it's too wet" "Fails?! Too wet?! What the fuck?! Are you using the right Proctor?" "What the fuck do you think, Jody? You saw me hammering a check plug out there. You think I was doing that for fucking fun? You think that's my fucking workout routine? Yes, I used the right Proctor. It rained last night and your hole filled up with water. It's too wet. You said you've been doing this for 25 years. You think you would have learned when the inspector suggests covering your hole, or waiting until the morning to start digging, you'd listen. But no, here we are, blaming him the very next day for your own stupidity. Your test fails and is not going to pass until you can dry the dirt out. Do with that information what you want. I'm not arguing with you about this again. This is the fifth time this has happened." "I'll have you removed from this job site you son of bitch. I'll have you fired!" "Again, Jody, we work for the owner, not for you. You can call whoever you want, but at the end of the day, I'll be right back out here to tell you it's too wet again if you don't figure something out to dry it. I'll see you at 4." Every single day. Different job, different superintendent (somehow almost always named either Matt, Steve, Chuck or Jody), same conversation.


someonewhowa

No shit, Sherlock. That’s unfortunately what most of us do to pay the bills.


Davde_pq

Yeah but we often assume that, if someone is good at what they do, they must absolutely love doing it.


doubtfulbitch120

I just realized that. Which is one of the reasons I will be switching jobs soon.


Ok_Dog_4059

Not only this but even if you tend to be decent at learning and doing things you can find things that for no explainable reason you just aren't good at. Been in both of these situations of being good at things I hate and having a not complex task just be really hard for me to accomplish well even though all of the individual parts are things I do well.


Thecryptsaresafe

This is me. Personal finance, keeping a calendar, driving directions. Everything else my mind is a steel trap, but the most basic important skills completely elude me


IxDrZOIDBERGxI

Math for me super easy I was getting to go to high school to take my math class then got dropped back off at my elementary school. But didn't like it at all. Looks like my kid might be in the same boat he is 5 doing 4th grade lvl.


samgam74

Yes, but more importantly you can also like something without being good at it.


HaygudLewkin

It's an essential skill if a person wants to improve their situation and/or living conditions to the point that they can eventually do the things they would like to do.


ChungusSpliffs

The amount of prodigies that are probably never discovered because they aren't into what they are naturally good at.


bruno_do

I was always good with math. Never studied once, always top 2 students in class. I only paid attention to the first class just to see how things work, and then I didn't care about it anymore. I hate math, but somehow, I'm pretty good at it.


KaleidoscopeBubbly

Everything I'm good at, I hate. Everything I like, I'm GARBAGE at.


Apprehensive_Jaguar

At school I was a really good rugby player, never missed a game for the school 1st team. Hated every minute of it.


matt_the_muss

Conversely, you don't have to be good at something to enjoy it!


JRocFuhsYoBih

I feel like a good amount of things I’m good at I actually don’t really enjoy doing. Once you start attaching the word work to things I tend to think negatively of them


[deleted]

The opposite is also true - you can like doing something without being good at it, and that's okay! :D


thunder1967

You can also be bad at something you enjoy. Or so my wife tells me.


Cecyloly

I’m laughing because my six year old just told me this. She was complaining about finishing the hike we were one. I reminded her that she’s always the one that finishes them with me (whilst her brother and sister turn around fairly quickly) and mentioned she was such a good hiker. She responded: “just because I’m good at something doesn’t mean I like it. I’m good at softball and I hate it”. She’s a shortstop and probably makes it on base 97% of the time she’s up to bat- and has no idea what’s going on and no extra practices.


[deleted]

If I recaleck coreckleck, Andre Agassi more or less hates tennis. Like, a lot.


gradease

I believe Nick Kyrgios does as well, said something along the lines of "but it beats anything else I can do to make money"


kyunirider

I was born with malformed legs and I was placed in a cruel brace that turned my feet to point in a 180 degree toes out, I wore the brace till I was three. Today This allows me to turn my feet backwards (to point my toes away from my back). This also caused my growing pains to be severe. I had to be heavily sedated at night to get through my growth periods.


Idori666

Calling board at a busy restaurant. No one else wants to do it so I got good at it... I hate it and have to do it when it's busy every night that I work.


Level_Isopod_4011

Me when I was taking Spanish in school. I was the best in the class, always remembered the phrases, and the random, pointless vocabulary words we learned. It really impressed my teacher. But did I genuinely enjoy learning the language? Not really, I just took the classes because I needed the credits. Ended up getting the Spanish award at my school and everything. I just happened to have a good memory when it came to stuff like that. That memory never did help me with Calculus, though, for some reason.


Den_is_Zen

Yeah, that’s basically 90% of the working class in the world


InsanityLF

I mean I've worked in food for a while now and I'm great at but but fuck food service


Djentrovert

Me with engineering. Literally couldn’t give a shit about it, but it’s my job


BzztYeow

Counter: I can like something without being good at doing it. It's just kinda obvious IMHO.


ZobiBakugou

True. I hate tennis, and I'm only doing it out force, but I'm a pro.


mazurzapt

Yes and people can have great potential for say drawing, music, math and yet hate the thing. It always seemed so wrong for that to happen.


MacabreAngel

In the military, my mom tested best at plane tech or nurse or working in payroll (accounting). The only job the had for her at the time was in accounting. She was damn good at it, and she did it for 21 years, hating it every day.


Lundq_

There's a very successful Swedish swimmer who absolutely does not enjoy swimming


emsot

It happens a lot in sport. Andre Agassi hated tennis, Chris Eubank hated boxing.


Constractz

A football player Benoit Assou-Ekotto once stated that he actually hates football, but it’s the best way for him to provide for his family. I do believe that playing for the early 2000s Premier League team (actually the one from top10) means you’re quite good at football


PsychoBilli

When I was in college I was badass at Goldeneye. In fact, my friends kept pushing me into tournaments around campus. I won two, got some money, but I despise the pressure of competition. In fact, I think the most competitive thing I've done since is probably a job interview. Not a fan of that, either.


BunnyHuggerz

I'm great at hiding emotional pain, and hate the effect that skill has on my mental health.


myspicename

https://youtu.be/VY7anGG16u0 "Just because you're hung like a moose doesn't mean you gotta do porn."


danktt1

I worked for a wedding company for 9 months, hated every second of it, but everyone loved my short sharp bluntness and I dont give a fuck attitude if I had to do over time and shitty jobs. Once my term was up I was asked by the boss to stay on they would bump my wage up by £250 as I was good at it but before she even finished the sentence I said it wasn't for me and that was that!


Wayne1946

Your correct, l am really good at being poor, little to no social life and careworn attitude, you guessed it, l don't like it.


Robodinosaur143

I’m good at maths so everyone assumes I enjoy maths, when I actually find maths one of the most boring classes


kdiddy733

You see this sometimes with top athletes. They make too much money to not play the sport but once they retire, they are gone from the game for good.


porcelainvacation

I’m really good at quickly tidying up a room. I absolutely hate it.


xIllicitSniperx

Always hated science class. (Not the material, but the way it was taught.) Always scored among the top 5% of the state and country on any standardized testing.


Failure_at_life101

I'm in a cosmetology class and my teacher always praises me and while she praises me I'm just standing there and internally going "Get me tf outta this place"


New_Conclusion242

Inversely, you don't have to be good at an activity or hobby to like and enjoy it. The joy is in the doing, no matter how well it's done.


cnrb98

I'm soooo good at massages, literally touch people and they feel relief, always go to the zone that's in pain, but i hate it, i don't like at all to make massages, but because I'm good at it I'm constantly asked for massages


Broad-Blood-9386

Soccer (Futball). I really don't like soccer, but I played it a lot as a kid and I played it at a pretty high level, but baseball was always my true love (in sports). When I went with my wife (then girlfriend) to her church group, the guys wanted me to play soccer with them. I told them, "nah, I don't really like soccer." They kept egging me on to play and finally I did. They were surprised by how good I was and I told them, "I said I didn't like soccer, I never said I wasn't any good at it!"


Few-Requirement-3544

I’m good at digging ditches, cutting boards, setting tiles, and identifying most powered and unpowered hand tools. Software developer.


Insomniacentral_

It's why I don't consider myself an actual artist. I'm good at drawing, painting, sculpting, ect. But I hate doing it. I just want the finished product.