At our weekly club bridge game last week, on one board, my partner was in a situation wherein there were two possible lines of play: a safe one and a slightly risky one; the risky one having the chance to gain one trick if right or lose one trick if wrong. From the play to the previous tricks, it was a good bet that the risky line would work; I knew it and he knew it, but he still chickened out at the last moment and took the safe line, ending up with an average score instead of a good score.
Funnily enough, I made the same type of mistake in an online game this week, this time there being even less chance of the so-called risky line failing.
What is it about risk that makes normally intelligent and bold people behave like nervous cowards? We all have a tendency to view choices as 50-50 propositions: safe or risky, and end up choosing the safe one most of the time. How many of us stop to think about the odds of the risky choice working out, and decide to take it if it had, say, a 75% or an 80% chance of working out?
This is what I like about bridge. It makes you think about the way you approach your own life.
You understand that life is less about making the brilliant moves and more about not making the stupid ones.
You understand that life isn't a mathematical computation. You have to take people into consideration, and a good psychologist will probably end up doing better than a good mathematician.
You understand that life is a partnership, and partnership is about trust. You can only get so far on your own; trusting your partner is vital to success.
You understand that talent is a good thing, but hard work is better.
You understand that to get ahead, you have to take calculated risks. Confidence is important. Without self-confidence, you won't back yourself to take even a slight risk, and if you don't take risks, you'll be stuck.
My self-confidence has taken a beating from recent events, and it is no wonder that I've suddenly changed from a fearless and headstrong individual into a play-it-safe kinda guy. It is good to have gotten rid of the reckless edge to my behaviour, but getting one's self-confidence back is a slow process.
All part of the learning process...
Cheers,
Prashanth.
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It's not enough if you have a good recipe for life. You still need a touch of magic.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
7 comments:
all this from one mistake your friend made? man, he must be so proud of himself. :)
lol, I must be proud of myself a lot of times then :P
There is a thin line between recklessness and taking risks just as there is between instinct and intuition.
And its also about self belief. When you back your decisions enough you get confident enough to forgive the failed ones.
The question is, what has your self confidence done to you earlier? It simply justifies one's bad decisions in life as an act of courage/intelligence.
Real intelligence (wisdom) lies in understanding our constitutional position/limitation/surroundings, and working towards the long term goals even if it means sacrificing something in the short term.
Have you done it right, SP?
It's a question of balance. I think I was a little on the overconfident side, now a little on the hesitant side. But having been on both sides I am closer to finding my balance than before. I haven't done it right but I think I am getting there.
Sorry if it sounded derisive, i was only trying to help.
Remember until 10th standard how you were class first for so many years in a row, term after term, scoring the highest in all subjects? You were the ideal we always wanted to follow. Where is that SP now? I want to see him again, not some bridge player tucked away in mama's lap.
Bridge is just a hobby, no point in getting all enthu about it. Academics was always your forte, shine in it!
Er... whoever this is has obviously not heard about events in my life in the past two years. I have been temporarily forced to drop all academics and career stuff. Mama's lap kept the tears away during this time; and bridge kept me sane. I have immense respect for both till I get my life back in order, and you should too.
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