At Stake
The Grasshopper was gushing on this topic yesterday.
He had a couple of things to communicate:
- “To play your best, something has to be at stake.”
- “For a game to be interesting, something has to be at stake.”
It reminded me of a story . . .
About 13 years ago my friend Chris and I were on a supply run to Office Max. There was a basketball in the back seat of my car. I spotted an empty Office Max shopping cart next to a light pole in the parking lot and suggested we play a game of “Carriage Ball.” It was a lot like basketball, only the basket was bigger. I made up the game on the spot and we went right into competitive mode to see who would be crowned “Carriage Ball Champion.” I really don’t remember who won; I only remember the fun we had – two goofs all over each other in the Office Max parking lot playing a game that had something at stake – our aliveness.
When there is nothing at stake, no risk, our performances can be lackluster and devoid of life.
The pervasive penchant to not risk results in a flatline existence. It’s the middle ground of mundane. There are few highs and few lows – just a “steady as she goes” banality that has us die a slow, painful death that we call life.
Our willingness to risk is the catalyst to activate our aliveness. It’s only at the edge that we learn something new. When we refuse to leave the cocoon of our comfort zone, we stagnate and wither.
This isn’t a suggestion to become a thrill seeker because that just becomes an addictive drug that has you make risk an end game instead of a springboard to life.
Practice risking in low risk situations so you get in the habit of risking. Taking minor risks conditions you to invite in more aliveness to your life. When you get the hang of it, you can proportionately move to the next level.
Risking has to become synonymous with trust. You have to trust that there is a part of you that knows how to manage risks so that you get the proper return on investment. That doesn’t mean you win all the time. That would be as unexciting as playing in a fixed sporting event. Reminds me of another story . . .
My childhood pal, Gerry had a pinball machine in his basement. All of our friends in the neighborhood would play against each other to see who could compile the highest score. The bragging rights were at stake. We had fun whether we won or lost. Adrenaline was pumping in either case. Then we got the bright idea to go into the machine and disable the “tilt” function. There is a mechanism within pinball machines that automatically ends your game if you shake the machine too much. It was one of the risk factors you had to consider while playing.
When the “tilt” function was no longer a risk, we could lift the machine up, turn it on its side, and execute many other maneuvers that kept the ball in play. It was no longer a challenge and no longer fun. We quickly found out, as young boys, that when you remove the risk, you remove aliveness.
If you have nothing at stake, you can’t win. When you have something at stake, you experience aliveness whether you win or lose.
When you refuse to risk, you allow your succulent grapes to die on the vine.
There is a popular expression that I would like to amend. Please change “No risk, no reward” to “No risk, no life.”
I’m betting that if you invite in more risk, you’ll be more alive everyday of your life.
All the best,
John
http://cdbaby.com/cd/johnmorgan
http://www.cafepress.com/grasshoppernote/3580301
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