Hey OliveC -
In truth, I started playing guitar because I thought it'd help me get lucky :)
Found I enjoyed playing and singing songs - wasn't really that good, but people seemed to like it anyway. Never did score a date but found I liked playing songs.
Even though I had a piano background, I applied zero theroy to my guitar playing.
Something I should have discovered earlier what the therapeutic value of "noodleing" and the satisfaction of learning and doing something well - such as string bending - as a value in itself.
Follow your heart. If it tells you to play a song, play a song. If it tells you to get a strumming pattern right, then work on it till you get it right.
You may never score a date because of it, but you will score a lot of good, warm fuzzies along the way.