If you watch any sports these days, there is a good chance you are as sick as I am of this commercial with Kenny Rogers. In it he sings his well known song, “The Gambler”, which has now become a serious ear worm for me. While this is somewhat annoying, it did serve as the inspiration for today’s blog.
I think the lyrics of the song’s refrain can provide some useful advice as we consider decisions we make when responding to the world around us.
“You got to know when to hold ’em” encourages us to be thoughtful about what we reveal in terms of our thoughts or experiences. This is a big one for me, as I am prone to over-sharing my opinions and feelings. (Throw in a glass of wine or two and all bets are off). Unfortunately, this occasionally results in me ending up in a mood of regret later, as I replay what actually came out of my mouth (and how I said it). Don’t get me wrong, I am a big proponent of letting people know what you need or want – this is the only way they will know how to support you. But remembering that you don’t really know what ‘cards’ they are holding will help you frame your requests and offers in ways that are more likely to get you the result you are hoping for. Even with that said, I still believe that there are certain sacred emotions and thoughts that are best kept in the tabernacle of your heart.
“Know when to fold ’em”, can be so helpful to keep in mind when it is time for us to ‘let go’ of something – a business venture that isn’t panning out; a relationship that, in spite of everyone’s best efforts, is failing; an argument that is going nowhere…
“Know when to walk away” – especially when who or what you are playing with just isn’t working for you anymore – a job, an assessment of someone or something, an old way of being…
“Know when to run”. When I think of this, what comes to mind are those times in our lives when we know, deep in our gut, that this ‘thing’ – relationship, task, effort – is hurting us to the point that if we don’t run, it has the potential to be damaging to our soul.
The more we play this game called life with our antenna up and eyes wide open, the better we get at making winning decisions. Try channeling a little Kenny Rogers this week and see what happens!
