Left-handed people suffer quietly in this right-hand dominate world – but there are some, very few, but some advantages
Growing up in the 70s, 80s and 90s and being left-handed, my life was horrible. Well, maybe not horrible, but it was hard and nobody seemed to care about my plight.
Not only is writing using a spiral bound notebook pretty close to impossible, but the rest of the world (scissor manufacturers, I AM talking to you!) seems to also be conspiring again those of us who are affectionately known as “south-paws”.
I remember going with my friends to play putt-putt, and walking up to the first hole and finding that there was no room on the side of the tee box where a left-hander would stand. While all my buddies could relax and get comfortable lining up for that clown-mouth putt, I had to stand on top of a set of wooden braces that framed out the hole but gave zero room for me to stand next to the ball.
This repeated itself hole after hole.
This is the only reason I can think of that explains why my wife can beat me at putt putt every time we play. The cards are stacked against me.
What does this have to do with leadership?
As I joke about the difficulties of living as a left-hander, there are some very real LIFE and BUSINESS LEADERSHIP SKILLS that I have learned by being left-handed.
1 – Always be able to adjust to situations
Going through life – both work-life and family-life, the world is going to throw you a curveball. I know this seems silly, but as a lefty, I felt like I was always having to think about where I was going to sit or what type of pencil or pen I was using, etc.. This created in me a skill-set of constant adjustment. In life, when your car breaks down, you have to adjust. Your ATTITUDE towards that unplanned adjustment is the key.
2 – Assume in advance that the world is NOT going to automatically provide for your specific needs
This is not a point about “the world is conspiring against you”. I don’t subscribe to that. However, sometimes we go through life and it seems that we get mad at doctors, teachers, coaches and businesses for NOT thinking about our specific needs. This may be an allergy that a restaurant doesn’t seem to “care” about or maybe be a certain type of decoration you need for a birthday party. You get my drift. It is OUR responsibility to meet OUR needs. Think ahead.
3 – Stop complaining – nobody cares
I used to complain that the local sporting goods store didn’t have enough baseball gloves for lefties or it was hard to find scissors for left-handed people or I had to use a computer mouse with my right hand etc… NO BODY EVER CARED. All of us, over the entire course of history, all of us have had to deal with something that seems unfair. That is life. Stop complaining. Stop complaining that your boss did you wrong. Stop complaining that your used car dealer ripped you off. Stop complaining that 5 Guys Burgers and Fries charges too much for a burger. As I found out the hard way about all my complaining about the disadvantages of being left-handed – no body cares. Everyone has their own stuff. Move on. Figure it out. The rest of us have to. You can, too. When that beautiful drawing smears on your hand, wash it off and start over. Stop complaining.
4 – Embrace what makes you – you
Eventually, I wore it as a badge of honor. I had this mental game that I played where I would figure out a way to win at putt-putt EVEN with the disadvantages. I played this game where I kept a baseball glove in my car – just in case. I began to believe that I have to overcome this silly little adjustment that everyone else is oblivious to, and I am fine. So, whatever it is that makes you different …….
THIS PART IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
I believe that the Creator of the Universe, God the Father, has the most unique and creative mind! I also believe that the almost 8 billion people currently living and all the billions of people who lived before us and the billions who will come after us – ALL OF THEM AND ALL OF US – are truly unique. No one is exactly like YOU. No one who has ever lived is exactly like YOU. God makes us all special. Maybe you are left-handed. Maybe your were born with spina bifida. Maybe you were raised in the foster care system. Maybe you were born in Alabama (that would be terrible). Whatever seems to be your disadvantage, use it to to learn to be better and make the world a better place, too.
What is your disadvantage?
comment below with your advice on overcoming the things that life puts in your way.
