Quite often, we find ourselves in routines. We wake up at the same time everyday. We eat the same breakfast. We do the same things at work. We do the same workout at the gym. And in general, we live the same life everyday. It is quite natural and efficient to develop routines. Most chess players have a standard opening for every game they play. The first ten moves of their games are always the same. There is comfort, safety and predictability in our routines. My 7 year-old son’s basketball games are a good example of this. He is just happy to be out there. He has no interest in making points. He just enjoys all the activity. So, he runs and jumps, swings and dances the entire time. In some cases, just being in the game is good enough. Nevertheless, there is a risk in playing it safe or just playing the game. One of those risks is loss of the competitive advantage. We forget that the idea of life is to live. Going through the routine is fine but that’s just passing the time.
While in college at Tennessee State University (TSU), I took a break from chess and the card game Spades, a four player team game, became my time waster of choice. On a black college campus in the early 90’s, you could find Spades tournaments in secession at any hour: lunch hours, dinner hours, late night hours or any hour of the day. There was always an opportunity to pick up a game. The goal of the game was to work with a partner to make use of the hand you were giving to beat your opponents. There was an assumption at every table, in every game. The assumption was that if you were there to play, you were there to win. In other words, if you are going play, “Play to Win!”
There was nothing worse than to get a partner who just wanted to be sitting at the table. Usually, this person knew how to play, meaning that they knew the rules, but they were not really interested in winning. They were there to be in the game. This person would always make the safe plays and left chance to determine victory. This person’s assumption was “the team with the best hand would win.” NOT TRUE! Often life and Spades requires us to make a life of what we have been given. Agility and improvisation makes the game more interesting and exciting. A good team player could read the situation, make calculated risk and place cause to the wind for a chance of victory. In other words, a good player plays to win.
What a great way to live your life. Imagine if you woke up everyday with that attitude. I challenge you to make a decision to win everyday this week. Don’ t just play the game, but aggressively use your creativity to take what you have and be victorious. Since you are going to play the game anyway, you might as well Play to Win.
Let me know about your win this week. Contact me, email me and let me know about how you keep your head in the game.
Coach Hodge
While in college at Tennessee State University (TSU), I took a break from chess and the card game Spades, a four player team game, became my time waster of choice. On a black college campus in the early 90’s, you could find Spades tournaments in secession at any hour: lunch hours, dinner hours, late night hours or any hour of the day. There was always an opportunity to pick up a game. The goal of the game was to work with a partner to make use of the hand you were giving to beat your opponents. There was an assumption at every table, in every game. The assumption was that if you were there to play, you were there to win. In other words, if you are going play, “Play to Win!”
There was nothing worse than to get a partner who just wanted to be sitting at the table. Usually, this person knew how to play, meaning that they knew the rules, but they were not really interested in winning. They were there to be in the game. This person would always make the safe plays and left chance to determine victory. This person’s assumption was “the team with the best hand would win.” NOT TRUE! Often life and Spades requires us to make a life of what we have been given. Agility and improvisation makes the game more interesting and exciting. A good team player could read the situation, make calculated risk and place cause to the wind for a chance of victory. In other words, a good player plays to win.
What a great way to live your life. Imagine if you woke up everyday with that attitude. I challenge you to make a decision to win everyday this week. Don’ t just play the game, but aggressively use your creativity to take what you have and be victorious. Since you are going to play the game anyway, you might as well Play to Win.
Let me know about your win this week. Contact me, email me and let me know about how you keep your head in the game.
Coach Hodge
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