The card game Poker has been quite popular since the advent of television and the internet especially. One of its variants is called Texas hold’em. In this variant, players receive two cards (hole cards) and share five community cards in three stages.
Going all-in is derived from this variant (Texas hold’em) and refers to an all or nothing bet, where a player basically risks all the stakes he’s got on one hand. At this point, it’s either he wins or loses and steps away.
So, the All-in strategy is a way of saying, “I put all my eggs in one basket; I risk all my money into this venture, objective, target, goal etc. If I lose I’ll go home crying like a man, but if I win I’ll get my Mommy a new house, donate to a charity and take my family to shop in Milan or Paris”.
Application to life challenges
Sometimes we keep playing the game of life very safe, very comfortable. We treasure what we have so much that we’re reluctant to exchange it for something better and bigger.
We’re so ‘satisfied’ with what we’ve got and fearful to lose them that we guard our comfort zones with stacks and staves against any intruding idea. But it’s rare for growth to happen in your comfort zone.
Some of us are so afraid of commitment to any activity that we never have a full taste of anything. We’re afraid to throw ourselves fully into a worthwhile project and so we never have a taste of what it means to sweat, suffer and succeed.
Related: Never stop: what matters isn’t the rhythm
You’re afraid to try a new idea, to commit to marital vow, afraid to go to school, to work, to change your job, to try a new business idea, to invest in relationships or in business ventures, afraid even to pray. Just afraid about anything.
Develop a mind that sees failure as an inevitable step to success.
Cabiojinia
Esther’s jump
You might be familiar with the story of Esther in the Bible. There was an extant law that allowed the king to kill anyone that comes into the inner court without his express permission, including his wife. But Esther had to defy that law because she considered the threat to the lives of the Jews something worth throwing herself all-in. She said “if I perish, let me perish”. The outcome proved that that was the best strategy to apply and not fear.
Paul’s jump
When prophet Agabus, in Acts 21:10-14, prophesied the imprisonment of Apostle Paul if he travelled to Jerusalem, the christians around sought to dissuade Paul from his proposed travel.
Please note that Agabus wasn’t a false prophet but spoke what would be the true fate of Paul had he embarked on that journey. But he wasn’t listening to that; Paul was more interested in accomplishing the vision he received than allowing fear to cripple him.
He threw all he’s got, his life, into the ring. He applied the all-in strategy and jumped. And you can read how it all panned out in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.
Fear is a torment
We’re often afraid that if we begin, we won’t be able to finish. That fear grips us that we don’t even start at all.
You’ll have a taste of true sense of accomplishment when you try something that seemed impossible and succeed.
Related: The yellow lantern and the wick
We all have special gifts and potentials buried within us. Latent and waiting to be unleashed. You can’t and won’t be able to activate and utilise them except you jump. Yes, JUMP! Out of your comfort and things you’re used to. Jump out of those traditions and beliefs that placed a ceiling over your spiritual and physical growth.
It’s your time to jump and soar
It is only when you jump that you’ll see how much strength, resilience and grace you’ve got. You can lose all and crash, but you can also develop wings and soar like an eagle. You don’t want to remain on that cliff all your life thinking of what might have happened if you took that leap. And certainly you don’t want regrets on your dying bed.
Now here’s the question: what is that goal that is worth fighting for? Isn’t your marriage or home worth it? What is that purpose that makes you excited at the thought of it? What is that vision that gives you sleepless nights?
Related: My history is not my destiny.
It’s time to apply the all-in strategy. Throw yourself into it. Give it your all; give it your best. Plant that seed, nurture it, weed it, and see it grow.
But if eventually it didn’t germinate, you’ll be satisfied you spared nothing but gave it all you’ve got.
The worst thing that can happen is that you fail. That’s it. But you know what? There’s a chance you’ll succeed. There’s a chance you’ll make it.
But you’ll never know except you give it all you’ve got.
Cabiojinia
So, what are you going to do?
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