Pickleball Woes…

I like to play competitive sports. I find that when I’m competing against others, or even just competing against myself, I get motivated to the point of obsessing.  I don’t always focus on winning. I thrive on the thrill competition. Of course, winning is pretty cool too!

As I have aged, I have come to the realization that I can’t do what I used to do when I was in my teens or 20s. I can’t keep up with my kids on the tennis court, I can’t hit the ball on the baseball field like I used to, I can’t run routes when playing flag football, and so many other situations where my stage of life is now a factor. But does that mean I stopped trying, absolutely not!

Recently my wife and I have discovered Pickleball. It was appealing to me because it looked like mini-tennis and it appeared like something that I could quickly learn. It was also something that my wife and I could do together. And truth be told, it looked like a lot of people my age and older were playing it… So hey, what overly competitive, slightly out of shape, middle aged, ex-athlete wouldn’t want to crush some pickleball?

So, we did it the right way. We signed up for lessons, practiced, and learned all the crazy rules pickleball has. I can see why so many people love this sport because it was a lot of fun until it wasn’t.

My wife and I were playing against another couple (who we were destroying with a score of 8 -1) and a lob was hit over my wife’s head. I was in a great place to get to the ball, or so I thought. I noticed that the player, who hit the lob, was completely out of position and all I needed to do was smash it to the opposite court to win the point. I took my eyes off of what I was doing to identify where I needed to hit the ball and I fell. No, better stated, I crashed and hit the floor like a meteor hits the moon. It was like you see on TV as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. In the process of the fall, I landed on my left wrist, my right elbow and finally hit my head against the back wall. I was shaken and dazed for a few seconds, but my first thought was, did I make the shot? I did not! ☹

I guess it was a pretty dramatic fall as my glasses flew off my face and everybody in the area ran to see if I was fine. It was very embarrassing.  At that moment, I didn’t notice my body hurting, just my pride.

After a few moments of sitting there fuming at my clumsiness and realizing that I didn’t make the shot, I took the advice of those around me and decided to sit out for a little while. It was only during that time that I realized something was not right. My right arm was throbbing and I noticed that I could not make a fist to grip the pickleball paddle.

You know those times when reality sets in and you come to the comprehension that things are not good? This was one of those times for me.

To make a very long story short, after visiting a few doctors, it was determined that I have a broken elbow. Oh, the doctors used a lot more fancy and multi syllable words to describe my injury, but the result was the same… a broken elbow!

I was placed in a brace that I need to wear for six weeks. Six long, grueling weeks. It will be six weeks before I can use my arm or my hand because I cannot grip anything. Did I mention that it’s SIX weeks?  I guess one positive thing is my grandkids think it’s cool. It’s like a combination of Star Trek’s Borg and Iron Man armor. 😉

To make matters worse, it is my right arm and I am right-handed. I’ve taken it for granted how many things I do with my right arm and how many things I accomplish with my right hand. I also realized that I never use my left arm for much of anything. Well, that has changed as now my left arm and hand are getting a lot of use. And by use, I don’t mean successful use, I mean awkward, sloppy and frustrating use.

I am learning to do a lot of things differently now. Yes, as my wife has reminded me several times, it is temporary. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating. I have had to learn how to make adjustments as a result of this injury. I have also had to swallow even more pride by asking for help with some of the most basic tasks.

I know I will get better and my arm will heal and I’ll be back on the courts soon enough. But until then, I am learning how to adapt!

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Running an online business often feels just like my fall on the Pickleball court. You think you’re on top of your game, the plan is coming together, the strategy is working, the results are rolling in and then out of nowhere, wham! You hit a wall. Something breaks. Something changes. And suddenly, what was working no longer works. You’re down, you’re disoriented, and maybe your pride takes a bigger hit than your business itself.

Here’s the truth. Setbacks are inevitable. Whether it’s an injury, a personal loss, a technical failure, or a marketing flop, they’re going to happen. We don’t get to opt out of difficulty, we only get to choose how we respond. The longer we resist that truth, the harder the fall feels. But when we expect bumps in the road and build our business with resilience in mind, we stop seeing obstacles as stop signs and start seeing them simply as detours. Frustrating? Yes. But final? Absolutely not.

That’s why mindset matters. When life knocks the wind out of you, literally or metaphorically, your ability to stay positive, flexible, and solution-oriented becomes your greatest asset. A strong mindset doesn’t mean you won’t feel discouraged or tired. It just means you won’t stay there. A mindset built on growth says, “This didn’t go the way I planned, but there’s still something I can learn, build, or become from this.” And in business, that kind of mindset is what separates the temporary “hobbyists” from the long-term, purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

But here’s what I’ve learned in this season of one-handed living. Adapting is not optional…it’s essential. Whether you’ve broken an elbow or broken your website, success comes from learning how to move forward differently, not perfectly.

So how do you bounce back when life or business knocks you off your feet? Here are five powerful steps that I’ve been learning (sometimes the hard way):

1. Accept the Disruption, Don’t Deny It – Denial delays progress. I could’ve pretended I was fine after my fall but ignoring pain doesn’t heal it. In business, when something stops working, admit it. Accept that the algorithm changed or your audience didn’t engage. Then you can actually begin to shift and grow.

2. Get Creative With How You Work – Without my right arm, I’ve had to relearn daily tasks using my left hand. It’s been clumsy and frustrating, but surprisingly effective when I stay patient. Similarly, your business might need a new strategy, a different platform, a new message, or even a fresh offer. Embrace trial and error. You’ll get there.

3. Ask for Help (Even When It’s Awkward) – This one’s tough, especially for those of us who like to “do it all.” But I’ve had to lean on others, and I’ve found that people want to help in life and in business. Whether it’s finding a mentor/coach, asking for advice in a mastermind group, or even outsourcing tasks that drain you.  Help makes you more capable, not less.

4. Give Yourself Grace – Learning to adapt is messy. Things take longer. Mistakes happen. Your left hand types slower. Your first piece of content may flop. That’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect. Progress isn’t always pretty but it’s always better than quitting.

5. Find the Opportunity Inside the Obstacle – This injury has forced me to see what I’d been ignoring. I needed better balance, more patience, and a reminder to slow down. The same is true in business. Every challenge brings a hidden opportunity to innovate, to refine, or to reconnect with your “WHY.” Don’t miss the growth inside the grind.

So yes, my current wardrobe includes a bionic elbow brace and my typing skills are… well, humbling. But I’m learning more during this forced slowdown than I ever could’ve planned. And maybe you’re facing your own unexpected interruption physical, emotional, or entrepreneurial.

Whatever it is, don’t just sit there frustrated. Accept disruption. Get creative. Ask for help. Give yourself grace. And find the opportunity inside it.

Because sometimes, the thing that sidelines us is the very thing that sets us up for the next breakthrough.

Now if you’ll excuse me… I’m off to attempt brushing my teeth left-handed, again. 😬

As I relive that missed shot in my head over and over, it is motivating me get better and have the opportunity not only to take that shot again, but to learn from my experience.

Lookout Pickleballers, I’m coming back stronger and better than ever!

 “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” — Booker T. Washington

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

I didn’t fall — I was just checking if gravity still works. (Spoiler: it does.)

Why did the pickleball player get kicked off the court? Too many dill-iberate faults!’

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

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