Leave the TV on long enough and it’s easy to see all the stuff in life that’s going on without you.

People are hunting for houses internationally. They’re cooking things with bizarre ingredients. They’re making moonshine in the hills of Appalachia. They’re on stage showing off their x-factors.

And those are the shows. The commercials are a different animal. Commercials are designed to show you that your life is empty and that the thing that will fill the void is the product being flogged.

Social media takes it to an entirely new level. Your Facebook feed is a constant stream of polished highlights from the lives of other people showing you the awesome craft they just made, the incredible trip they just took, their kid’s straight-A report card, and the shiny new car they just bought with a fat bonus check from work.

It’s rare for someone to post on Facebook that they bounced a check, backed the car into their own mailbox, or got passed over for a promotion at the office.

Much of what we see on TV and social media shows us a life that we’re missing, that somehow we’re not fully participating in. It creates an unrealistic pressure to be good at everything.

I’m here to tell you that it’s impossible to be good at everything and unnecessary to strive to be good at everything. But there are a few things worth being good at. Here they are:

1) Work

Know how to do a job, art, or profession and do it well. Work done well gives a sense purpose, and it puts money in the bank account, which ain’t bad either.

2) Family

Family is such a blessing. Bring energy and attention to the people you share life with most closely.

3) Relationships

Be good at creating and maintaining relationships. Give more to your friendships and professional connections than you take.

These three things – work, family and relationships – are all growth areas for me, by the way.

So on a list of things worth being good at, why did I pick these three? Why didn’t I pick eye surgery, foreign languages and rollerblading?

I picked work, family and relationships because these three will be with you for a long, long time. And each one, in a way, contributes to the benefit of the other.

Let’s be good at a few things and forget the pressure to strive to be good at everything. Sound like a deal?

Do Facebook updates ever feel comically over-the-top to you?