I’ve been thinking a lot about how we measure success and talent in our society. There’s a quote often attributed to Einstein that perfectly captures this problem: “Everybody’s a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
This concept resonates deeply with me because I see so many people struggling with feelings of inadequacy simply because they’re trying to excel in environments that don’t match their natural abilities.
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Success
Too often, we find ourselves comparing our weaknesses to others’ strengths. We watch “squirrels” effortlessly climb trees while we struggle with our “gills and flippers” to do the same. The frustration builds until we make that fatal conclusion: “I’m just not good at anything.”
This negative self-talk is something I hear constantly:
- “Everybody has their thing except me.”
- “I’m just not talented.”
- “Some people are born with gifts, and I wasn’t one of them.”
But what if the problem isn’t you? What if you’re simply in the wrong environment?
“You just haven’t found your ocean.”
That line from Advice with Erin struck me as profound in its simplicity. Many of us spend years trying to excel in areas that don’t align with our natural talents and then blame ourselves when we don’t succeed.
Recognizing Your Natural Habitat
Finding your “ocean” – the environment where your specific talents can flourish – requires both self-awareness and exploration. It means being honest about what energizes you rather than what drains you.
Think about it: those squirrels that excel at climbing would quickly drown if thrown into the ocean. Their failure to swim wouldn’t make them inadequate creatures – just creatures in the wrong environment.
Your struggles in certain areas aren’t evidence of your lack of talent; they’re simply indicators that you haven’t found your natural habitat yet.
This perspective shift is crucial. Instead of asking, “Why am I so bad at this?” try asking, “Is this the right environment for my particular skills?”
The Journey to Finding Your Ocean
Discovering where you naturally excel isn’t always straightforward. It requires:
- Experimenting with different fields and activities
- Paying attention to what makes you lose track of time
- Noticing when work feels more like play
- Being willing to pivot when something consistently feels like a struggle
The process might take time, but it’s worth the exploration. When you find your ocean, you’ll move with a grace and ease that makes success feel natural rather than forced.
I’ve seen this transformation in friends who struggled for years in corporate jobs only to thrive when they switched to creative fields, or vice versa. The change wasn’t in their level of talent but in how well their environment matched their innate abilities.
Embracing Your Fish-ness
There’s something liberating about accepting your nature. If you’re a fish, you don’t need to apologize for your inability to climb trees. Your value isn’t diminished by what you can’t do – it’s defined by what you can do when you’re in your element.
So stop being what Erin calls a “stupid fish.” Stop measuring your worth by standards that were never meant for you. Instead, seek out the waters where your specific talents can shine.
The world needs your unique abilities, but you’ll only discover them when you stop trying to be something you’re not and start embracing who you truly are.
Find your ocean. Swim freely. And watch how quickly that feeling of “not being good at anything” transforms into the confidence of knowing exactly where you belong.