Frustration with being average

Hello! This is my first post. I'm new here, so please forgive me if this is in the wrong section (relocate if necessary!).

I just feel like I'm not especially good at anything, and that really frustrates me. I've always considered myself a better than average writer but recent events have made me start doubting myself.

My future highschool hosted a writing contest with a 1500$ reward in the form of tuition reduction. It was open to all 8th graders that would be attending this highschool as a freshman. All the schools participating would first select a winner from their school to send a winners group (don't have a better name for that group), and a winner would be selected from that group. I sent out my essay and felt really good about it. Didnt win, unfortunately. Not in the winners group, or in the school (I thought I'd atleast get the school!).

Secondly I applied for an accelerated English class. The test was a simple reflection essay, and I thought I nailed it. Unfortunately I didn't get in. Honestly pretty shocking and obviously very dissappointing.

Those two major events made me really doubt my writing skills alltogether.

As far as academics in general go I am very average, besides math, which I am terrible at.

Then comes sports. I'm terrible at basketball, and horrible at soccer. I'm average at (American) football. Maybe not even that, actually. I played tackle football in a summer league for 3 months and all the kids there thought I was terrible, that I was a joke. So now I doubt my average football skills.

I can play no instruments or sing well.

I am terrible at video games.

I don't feel unique or distinct. I really have nothing going for me. I am obviously very lucky to be receiving proper educations and being fed and clothed and whatnot, and I am very grateful for that, don't get me wrong. I just want to have a thing I'm really good at.

Best regards, Ochalis

Mush has said it perfectly^

I say focus on the thing that you're best at and practice. I think most people have to. There's only those lucky few that are just naturally phenomenal.

There's always someone better - there's no limit to how much/many people are better than you are. That's just a fact of human condition, so to speak. You'll have to learn to affirm yourself, to find value in yourself by other means; not by competing in an imaginary race against people, who actually don't really give a ****.

As far as the things you're currently misunderstanding as subjects of competition are concerned: find things you really enjoy doing. Improvement is often a side effect of interest, dedication etc. really.

Btw. I can relate to your anecdotes on writing. Suddenly and inexplicably you're not on the level you used to be anymore, relatively to the others, right? You're encountering obstacles.

If you love writing, there's something about writing some people seem to know and you don't, so there's something you can learn. So do that. But if writing isn't worth it to you, if it's just competition - **** it! Do something you like instead.

I just got the testing done that proves the same: I'm average on every front imaginable.

Do you know what's awesome about that? You're just an ordinary human being with a normal capability to learn things. You're on the same page as at least 50% of the world's population.

Sure, we might have to work harder than geniuses or people with savant skills, but isn't that part of the fun? If everything came easy, life would have the potential of being utterly meaningless.