Games We Can Win

We all play games.  Some of us acknowledge that we enjoy structured card, board, word and puzzle games.  However, when we play life games, where the rules aren't defined, we are  subject to manipulation by those who don't play by the Golden or Platinum Rules.  Our chances of winning any of the games we encounter are enhanced when we know the game, players and rules.

We owe it to ourselves to play games we can win, or choose simply to have fun playing!

Don't Quit!

Gar and I were playing Backgammon on Thursday and it looked like I would certainly win.  In fact, the only way I could lose was to roll double 1s two times in a row, which I did.  When there is a possibility for victory, whether it's winning a game or achieving a goal, don't quit!

Winning Attitude

Gar's lacrosse team won their first playoff game this evening!  Kinkaid beat a rival that they'd also previously defeated during the regular season.  This victory was on the heels of two serious defeats at the Southwest Preparatory Conference games this past weekend.  What a difference a couple of days makes.  Our team didn't play up to their potential this weekend, nor did they exhibit the winning attitude that they'd adopted through most of the season.  Tonight, in the seniors' last game at home, the team recovered their winning attitude and played as the cohesive team they've become.

In lacrosse and in life, when skill is equivalent, a winning attitude is the secret weapon.

Great Shot!

Years ago, Edgar and one of our dear friends were hunting geese in a swamp.  They'd endured a long hunt with no action when a goose flew by.  Both hunters enthusiastically fired upon this creature, far away.  Ever competitive, it was the ultimate winning retort when Edgar proclaimed to our friend, "Great Shot!".

As this incident indicates winning is contextual.

Winners are Winners Regardless of the Score

There's nothing like high school sports to remind us that winning is about far more than the score.  Obviously, it's much more fun to win.  No matter what the scoreboard indicates, every player who gives his or her  personal best, while embracing true sportsmanship and supporting his or her team mates is a winner.  Learning to compete fairly and support our team with our best effort will serve us well throughout life.

Building a Business with Win-Win Dialogues

Patricia Adams,  President of Zeitgeist Wellness Group, has grown her business from a single San Antonio location to a national presence, operating in all 50 states and the U.S. territories.  This energetic woman is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the author of ABCs of Change - Three Building Blocks to Happy Relationships, who shared her advice and success at our March Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative luncheon. 

The expansion of Patricia's business had an unlikely beginning.  The attorney she was leasing space from notified her that she'd have to move from the building to accommodate his expanding practice.  Negotiating her relocation created a win-win dialogue and caused her to change her business model from one of direct service to a network of providers and services.

She advises using an inverted triangle as an organizational building block.  Creating a large base of smart associates allows us to do things differently, including effectively balancing working "in" our businesses and "on" our businesses.  And to foster win-win dialogues we must take care of those who take care of us.

Patricia has taken mentoring extremely seriously, creating an incubation model which includes office space and funding in addition to providing business advice.

She reminds us that win-win dialogues result from the words we use and the stances that we take in helping others achieve their goals.

Sportsmanship

Though we all care about winning, we experience both wins and losses on the playing fields and in life.  What distinguishes life's real winners is the way they play the game.  Life's real winners are those who compete well, enjoy the experience, exhibit self-control and play fairly by the rules when winning or losing.

Winning with Bleak Starts

I'm sometimes tempted to end an online game of Hearts when I find myself seemingly hopelessly behind.  But, quitting isn't in my nature, so I persevere.  Recently, I had a horrible start and was still in 4th place after 8 hands.  Perseverance paid off.  By the 9th hand, I was in 3rd place.  I'd risen to 2nd place by the 10th deal.  Sticking with the game was worth it.  I won in the 12th hand. 

Though it's just a game of cards, Hearts reminds us:

• Never give up
• A fast start doesn't guarantee a win
• The favorite may not have staying power
• Persistence is one of our greatest strengths
• It's fun to be a winner!

New Game of 21- Everyone Wins

Many adults are familiar with the "21" or Blackjack card game.  I concocted a new version of 21.  As the featured speaker for a Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative luncheon, for one of my exercises, I provided a deck of cards for each table.  My only instructions were to deal all the cards and see how many winners each table could produce.  As I'd hoped, the players shared cards to ensure that everyone was a winner. One of our 10 tables had to overcome a 21 purist.  And we had over-achiever tables that ensured that they had a 21 hand for everyone present and created 21 for as many additional hands as they could muster.

We all have opportunities to change the rules to create more winners.

Furniture Shuffle

We've been blessed by an abundance of furniture.  It always seemed so distant that Julia and Gar would need furniture for their own spaces. In the blink of an eye, Julia's a college senior and moving into a nice unfurnished apartment. The game of furniture shuffle has begun.  It seems like a combination of chess and twister to get the pieces she needs.  We had 3 antique chests placed in a large closet and one in the garage.  Each chest was currently storing items.  Getting the chest she chose required emptying the contents of the closet and chests, emptying and cleaning the chest in the garage, then moving everything back into the closet with the garage chest substituted for Julia's chest.

As is often the case with a time consuming labor of love, many positives emerge. It gives me great joy to know that Julia will have furniture that's meaningful to her as she creates her first independent space apart from university housing.  I organized this closet when we moved in 5 years ago.  As items have been added, the closet was no longer as easy to navigate as it originally was.  We once again have easy access to its contents.  And I found a votive holder that I needed to complete the breakfast room centerpiece.

The great thing about the game of furniture shuffle is that everyone wins.

Being Nominated is Winning

A friend made my day last week, when she told me that she wanted to nominate me for an award.  Regardless of the outcome of the nomination, she made me feel like a winner because she saw me as deserving of this recognition.  Each time we nominate a deserving candidate, we have bestowed valuable recognition to the recipient.  Winning is great, but being considered a winner by someone you respect is pretty awesome too.

So Close ... So Far

Does anyone play solitaire with a deck of cards anymore?  Sitting in front of the fireplace, visiting with family, I shuffled and dealt.  After a few hands, it looked like I was going to win.  All the cards were up, but I was still one card away from winning.  The 2 of clubs was missing from the deck.  So, if the deck had been complete, I'd have won, right?  Not necessarily!  Inserting that one missing card, would have changed the whole order of play. 

In work, life and cards when one critical component is missing, you can't declare victory.

Life's a Game of Cards

Flexibility, positive attitude, knowledge, strategy, interpersonal skills, persistence and achievement are keys to a happy and successful life. It’s a lot like a game of cards.

In life, just like in a card game:

Winning’s not everything. Playing the game is a lot of fun.
You can change the hand you are dealt.
The outcome of the game is dependant not only on your decisions, but also the decisions of your opponent and/or the way the cards are dealt.
The determination of which cards are best varies hand by hand.
You don’t have to keep a running score.
The mission is constant – winning.
The tactics change depending upon which cards you are dealt.
People prefer to deal with good sports.
You need to know the rules of the game.
The players change.
You can’t win every hand.
It’s not over, until the last card is played.