If you want to be certain of wrecking your life then just follow this one easy step; play cards.
It’s like the excuse game but it’s far more effective as you can blame external things for your failures like things that you had no control over, such as where you were born.
The excuse game is more personal, about things you can control. This always works as the focus changes from you to something bigger than you that have no power over. If you’re a good player, you can elicit guilt feelings in the person asking the questions or, if you’re an expert, get them to join you in the blame game.
Life is often compared to being on a stage where we are just the actors but that makes me think of a set scenario where our destiny has already been plotted out. I prefer to think of life as a card game. This gives you far more power to choose which game to play and whether you are prepared to raise the stakes or fold. There was a popular song out some years ago where our souls were the stake in a game of poker but this is not so radical. The stakes involved here are only you moving your responsibility for not doing something onto something or someone else.
There are countless possibilities and combinations of the card game just like you would find in any decent casino or gambling hall.
When life deals you a hand, it is entirely up to you to decide what you are going to do. You can hedge your bets, change your hand or fold depending on the risk to you.
None of us knows the outcome of the hand but we want to win the pot.
Some folk are happy living a quiet life without any risk.
Their favourite game is solitaire where they only deal with themselves.
Others are addicted to the thrill of chance and are willing to bet their lives away whilst some have been broken by frustration from not winning or the addiction to the next hand that might be the winner.
The majority of us are prepared to take life as it comes and deal with what it hands out.
I’m sure you know someone that has a whole deck of excuses. You may find them at your place of work or private life. They always have some card they play to justify their shortcomings.
The two most commonly used decks are:
The Circumstance Suit
This suit has a whole variety of options but the most common cards are:
I’m / I’ve / I (select one or more from the list below)
Handicapped, not educated, do not have enough money, unemployed, dark past, live on the wrong side of the tracks, in the country, an orphan, sick, married, single, alone, an addict, no experience, too much experience, not enough time.
The list is endless but a good player will instinctively play the right card to suit the situation.
The Too Suit
Similar to the circumstance suit but a little more personal.
This set of excuses is easily recognized by the words:
I’m too –
Old, young, stupid, shy, fat, thin, ugly, set in my ways, tired, lazy, comfortable …
Joker
Every deck has a couple and they can be played when other cards are not available. This card can be extremely beneficial or harmful depending on the game you’re playing. It’s usually played when other cards have not worked.
It has to be played with strong emotional feelings directed at the person asking the questions and it’s highly effective in the field of relationships.
What did I do to deserve this?
I remember what you did to me!
You owe me big time!
You don’t love me anymore!
Poor me!
If you are a professional player, you can use all of the above cards in such a manner that your bluff will never be called.
Life is a challenge unless you are in the elite 2% whose lives are financially independent. They don’t need to work and can do whatever they please.
Most of us are faced with continual tests and trials.
Why make it harder by playing with a deck you stacked against yourself?
Take a risk and play the game of life with a full deck that is unique to you. full of reasons why you can and will succeed.
Throw away the failures rule book and follow your own rules for success.
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
Don Wilder