There are so many parallels between betting on horses and sports and the unfolding of life. There are probabilities, the expected odds of something happening or not. There is the law of cause and effect, where what you do has a consequence of some sort.
You do something, there is a result, then you look at it and decide what to do next. That is pretty much life summed up in one sentence.
Betting is all about that. You look at the possibilities, choose one outcome that you believe is the most likely, evaluate the odds and see if they are in line with your expectations, and then act on it. Or maybe you wait for a better opportunity. It is absolutely no different than what we do each day of life.
There is also the law of reciprocity – in other words, you get what you give.
Life is to be lived. It is about plunging into the deep end, learning how to stay afloat and then enjoying the experiences along the way. It isn’t meant to be spent on the sidelines watching others live. It is a full-participation sport that will give back to you what you put into it.
Fifty years ago, television and movies were gaining in popularity and accessibility. Suddenly people started to watch a depiction of others living and doing things. Comparisons between what you had and what was on the screen became inevitable, and while you might have been content before, suddenly maybe you didn’t feel like you had enough anymore.
The desire to have it all was born. The fear of missing out started to replace the satisfaction of already having everything you needed.
The continual expansion of who we are is a good thing. Limiting ourselves to repeat what we are doing over and over with no desire to grow and change isn’t enough anymore. We are here to create, to share, and to expand fully into who we are meant to be.
Taking risks is what it is all about. The people who forge ahead with new ideas are the ones who are most likely to achieve great success.
Every time you undertake a new project, whether it is starting your own business or going to school or beginning a new job, there is an expansion from who you were to who you are becoming. Every experience layers on top of the ones that came before, and each day you become a slightly different version of yourself.
Sometimes big events happen that speed the transformation along. You move to a different country, or lose your job and have to start over, or your business idea is successful and takes off. Whatever the change looks like, you aren’t going to be living life like you were before.
Nothing needs to be declared a negative experience. We do something, a result is produced, and then we can clarify our actions and go forward from there. If your business isn’t succeeding, you can alter course and try something a little bit different. If you want to move ahead in your company, you can begin to take on a role that will advance you as you become invaluable to the organization.
When there is a positive expectation, when the odds of success seem more likely than not, then take action. In betting and in life, when the odds are in your favour, over the long run it will be a successful undertaking.