I have zero sense of direction.

Pretty funny for the guy who’s become somewhat famous for posting bad parking jobs.

No really, if someone told me to “get lost” I probably would and do so rather quickly. North, south, east, west…none of that stuff matters to me because I don’t know what direction I need to go from my current location. I’m over the age of 40 and I don’t think I’m suddenly going to wake up one day and figure it all out. Even if I did, my driving instincts would take me in the wrong direction.

In my previous vehicle, I got lost so often that there was a dent above the driver’s side roof from me punching upward in frustration-as if I was blaming my car for getting me lost. I don’t have anger issues, but get lost as often as I do and it starts to build up and the only “logical” thing to do is punch something. I’m also Irish-it’s what we do.

On the other hand, my wife never gets lost. My wife, the non directional challenged balance to the Murphy household, can drive somewhere once and never forget how she got there. Much like everything I’ve ever done wrong in the 20 years we have been together, she remembers how to get to that one place, in the middle of nowhere, that had that thing in the front yard. She can remember that, but occasionally cannot remember where she put an important document or to buy things on the shopping list that she refuses to write down. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

We can’t all be amazing at everything. We all have our Achilles heel and we try to do our best not to allow that weakness to completely ruin our lives. I’ve burned a lot of unnecessary gas over the years as I inevitability have to turn around after going 10 miles in the wrong direction.

Asking for directions is pointless if I can’t get to where I need to be in three steps and it’s not because I am a “typical man” that can’t ask for help.  If you tell me “take a right, then a left and then a right”, I’m good. You add another step to those directions and all I hear is the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher. “Wah wa wah wa”….My brain shorts out and I just can’t absorb the steps that follow the third directive.

I try to focus on the tasks I do well and not beat myself up about elements that I just know I’ll never quite master. I look to create and often control situations that don’t allow for my weaknesses to derail everyone else. Family road trip that contain long stretches of highway are driven by me.  My wife gets all the twists and turns.

I have catered parties of fifty plus people and cooked the entire spread from scratch by memory and taste, but I can’t remember how to get back to somewhere I was just at twenty-four hours prior. I have no problem following directions, unless they are directions to your house, then I am screwed!

I have listened to more than three radio stations at the same time and have taken notes while listening, but I can’t tell you if I should go east or south on a highway. My brain has an amazing amount of bandwidth, unless it has something to do with maps and directions.

I can bench press 100 pounds more than I weight and do so several times in a row, but I can’t get anywhere without an app on my phone. It’s the best thing on my phone!  Even better than that part that allows me to call people to let them know I am running late…because I got lost.

There are times in life when you just have to cut your losses.  I have come to the conclusion that I am going to be “navigationally challenged” and continue to rely upon apps, maps and other people who know where they are going.  I am not giving up on driving, but I will step out-of-the-way and let others discuss the topic of directions whenever it arises. It’s perfectly fine to encourage others to take the wheel and showcase their abilities, especially when you are not confident in yours. Even in my radio career, after 23 years of being on the air, I have always said that I am a better coach than I am an on air talent.  You may never master certain aspects of your life or skills that you covet and you will need to embrace the truth that you are just as flawed as the rest of the world.

#Tryharder to identify your weaknesses and be willing to pass the baton onto someone else who knows better.  Confidence is not always about taking the reins and trying to convince everyone that you have all the answers.  Confidence is about being smart enough and secure enough to let others shine.

Oh and could someone come pick me up?  I have no idea where I am right now…