Every person gambles. Some are just better at it than others.
On making decisions, janding to Canada and some of my favourite highlights from Robin Sharma's book.
Hello guyss! Before I say anything, I should probably apologize for sending this late. It’s currently 9:24pm as I type this and I had to stall writing this due to reasons beyond my control.
Now, it would normally take me about 2 hours? or 3? or even moree during my writer’s block days but I’m looking to write this in a shorter time frame so I can send it out as soon as possible, and continue my other impending tasks. So help me God.
Today is one of those days where I have the title figured out before writing. My writing structure is a bit scattered sometimes. Reading the title, you must have thought Gamble ke? Me I don’t gamble o or Auzubilah! or God forbid 😅. Before you jump into defense mode, let me explain what I mean.
We make certain decisions, most times completely unsure of what the outcome would be. For example, Ade studied Medicine for 7 years but at some point decided that Music was his calling. So after he got his certificate, he put his career aside to pursue his music career.
Bisi is 29 and she just finished her undergraduate studies, and seeing as Nigeria is not promising, she decides she has to jand to look for greener pastures. She does not plan on going for the NYSC program which Nigeria has made compulsory for anyone willing to work in the country. Instead, she would dedicate that time to apply for scholarships to further her studies outside the country.
Princewill is in his final year in school and has decided he does not want to work in Nigeria. Princewill knows he has to start making preparations early if he is serious about his ‘mission’ to work in Canada. So he started preparing for SAT and IELTS and other certifications he might need. Also, Princewill comes from a family that is not financially buoyant, so taking those exams will put him (and his parents?) under a lot of pressure financially.
***Now, I do not exactly know what it takes to work in Canada. Some people say you do not need SAT and some claim otherwise. I have not made any research whatsoever, so the instance listed is not fact-based.
I wish I could go on listing instances, but I do not exactly have all the time in the world😅. But what has all these instances got to do with gambling? Good question!
Ade went to school for 7 years only to ‘leave it all’ to pursue his dreams. Now, the easier thing to do would have been to practise medicine, yes? He has a certificate to show and getting a job is somewhat certain. Deciding to do music is a different ball game entirely. What if his song doesn’t hit? How long will it take to get a record label to sign him? What if he gets buried in the pool of upcoming artists? etc etc. So many uncertainties. Also what if all of these doesn’t happen? What if his first song is a hit? What if he was so good Beyonce had to feature him in her song?
Also, Bisi finished school (and studied say Accounting). Bisi could just go for her NYSC and try to get a job in Nigeria, or she could spend that time applying for scholarships. What if Bisi doesn’t get the scholarship? That means she just ‘wasted’ one year of her life (she’s not getting any younger btw). But what if she is awarded Chevening Scholarship (for example), that’s a huge deal! Safe to say the one year she spent waiting has been properly compensated for.
Our friend, Princewill has decided to sit for some exams. He is not financially buoyant so failing the examination is not an option (he could use the money to sustain himself till he gets a job, or even probably start a business). So the uncertainty here is What if Princewill fails? or what if he actually passes but is denied a visa? What if his father dies and he has to stay back to take care of his mother? (he is the only child). What if our dear president wakes up one day and says no more janding (I hope this doesn’t happen sha😂). On the other hand what if all of these do not happen? What if Bubu does not restrict Nigerians from travelling? What if everything works out well?
Now with all that I have said, you would have to agree with me that life itself is filled with people constantly gambling. Afterall, gambling is the game you play when you do not know the outcome, but then you do it anyways.
People gamble with their careers, their choice of spouse, what movie to watch at the cinema, what food to get at the restaurant, what new flavour of ice cream to try etc etc. Although some big and some small, all these decisions —or risks as I would call them— are necessary for survival (because we would be stuck if we do not make them!).
I can’t say if the decisions Ade, Bisi and Princewill made is the right one. I honestly wish I knew all these things. I do not have any hack to give on how to gamble better either. But as you move on with life, I hope (and pray) you keep making decisions in your favour.
My read for the week was The monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma. Since this newsletter is already quite lengthy as it is, I would not be able to go deep into the excerpt. I would highlight a few of my favourite sentences from the book though.
“It is only when you have mastered the art of loving yourself that you can truly love others. It’s only when you have opened your own heart that you can touch the heart of others. When you feel centred and alive, you are in a much better position to be a better person”
“Investing in yourself is one of the biggest investments you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of those around you”
“ …I suggest you stop judging events as either positive or negative. Rather, simply experience them, celebrate them and learn from them. Every event offers you lessons. These little lessons fuel your inner and outer growth. Without them, you would be stuck on a plateau. Just think about it in your own life. Most people have grown the most from their most challenging experiences. And if you meet with an outcome you did not expect and feel a little disappointment, remember that the laws of nature always ensure that when one door closes another opens.”
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Have a great week!
Yosola.
P.S. This is probably the latest I have published this newsletter. I finished typing this around 11:25 pm. So much for wanting to finish by 10:30 pm. I gave up trying to be fast at some point, e go be abeg😅
Finally caught a break and read this episode. Great read. You make valid points.
Fact is we gamble every day, you and I. From the moment we step out, every decision we make comes at the cost of not making multiple other decisions. Every outcome we desire is not always 100 percent guaranteed.
…just like a gambler can’t guarantee the deck of cards dealt their way.
Yeahh, it's true. We're all in the business of gambling. But there's something called calculated risks, if Princewill is a naturally brilliant student and studies well enough, chances are pretty high he won't fail. Life wouldn't let everything be that straight forward though so of course, unforseen circumstances tend to occur but generally, we should learn to take more calculated risks. I do agree with going all out and winging it sometimes, but know what to wing. And thank you for the excerpts from the book. Good job Yosola 👏🏽👏🏽