Having More Fun Taking Chances

So I came back from my first trip to Vegas last week and (surprise, surprise) I returned with less money.

I’m not much of a gambler and prefer to save and invest my hard-earned cash wisely. I get more excitement over the thought of saving five bucks than winning a big jackpot. Trust me. They don’t call me Miser Michaelson for nothing. 

But gambling doesn’t just involve money, and this experience has me thinking outside of the realm of dollar signs and focusing on real-life risk taking. I have always been one to play it safe, which is never a bad thing, but the best things in life have come after taking a chance.

Everything from a career to a relationship comes from pushing reservations aside and taking a dive into the unknown. The common phrase is that it never hurts to ask, but it also never hurts to take a leap once in awhile. Not being sure of the outcome just makes things exciting, at least as far as I’m concerned.

Taking chances at the right times in life can make the difference between stagnation and evolution. Those who play it safe will be stuck peering over the ledge, while others dive right into the water. Of course, some of them may hit the rocky ledge on the way down, but then it is just time to try, try again.

A casino’s job is to make as much money as possible with odds that are always stacked against you. Life plays the game a bit differently. You never know what the odds are in any given decision, but the payoffs can be much bigger than a pile of poker chips.

You may lose sometimes. In fact, you may lose most of the time, but the best payoffs come to those who are willing to face defeat and rise again.

Vegas may have gotten at my paycheck, but that isn’t where true value lies. We all have a little bit to gamble, with a big jackpot waiting to the lucky winner. Spin the wheel.