I’m a lyrics person. I consider White Snake’s Here I Go Again to be the anthem of my soul. However, Kenny Rogers is my go to for making serious decisions in business and relationships. His song The Gambler holds more universal wisdom than the Magic Eight Ball.
Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em
My hubby cleans the cat litter every day. He also tells me I’m brilliant, loves my musical sensibilities and works diligently at being part of a team with me. Easy choice – hold ‘em. Most of the hands I was dealt prior to this winner were a definite fold. The pool guy with a pee fetish, fold. The “artist” who obsessively brought up the one sculpture he made several years ago, fold. The guy with a porn-stache and skinny jeans that wanted me to pull him on a leash around the house, FOLD (love the mustache though).
In a business sense, I’ve got a baby business idea that I’m bottle feeding on a daily basis. I’m not ready to show my cards, but I’m definitely holding them close to my vest. I had to fold several prior projects to get this winning hand. Sometimes you’ve got to give something up that’s not quite right to get your dream idea off the ground.
Know When to Walk Away, Know When to Run
Trust your intuition. Even when you’ve put forth time and effort into a project, but you know in your heart it’s just not time to introduce the world to your pickles and cheese danish flavored potato chips, walk away. Don’t burn any bridges, don’t pass judgment. File all related documents in your “someday maybe” folder.
On the other hand, if you did a test run of the chips, and people of all ages went running for the nearest upchuck vessel, RUN. You don’t want something that can’t be untasted on your conscience for eternity.
Never Count Your Money When You’re Sittin’ at the Table
Gamblers don’t count their money at the table because it’s sure to piss off the losers. Pistols could be pulled. Someone might put a banana in their horse’s tail pipe. This may seem a bit pessimistic when applied to today’s business world, but humans are humans. We don’t like having our losses rubbed in our faces.
When my girlfriends come to me with stories of their latest dating fiasco, I don’t reply with how great it is to cuddle up in bed with my Papschund puppy and my husband. I put my arms around them, and let them know we’re in this together. Things will always get better if we keep moving forward with our new awareness.
Life’s a Gamble
You win some, you lose some. You can’t win, if you don’t play. How many cliches are there about putting fear aside and taking action?
I’ve learned many lessons from song lyrics. The Gambler has taught me to not hold on to things just for the sake of having something in my hands. There will always be another something. Stay open to possibilities, stay flexible and listen to your gut. Be generous with others. Be modest, yet confident. Most of all, keep playing the game.