Why Continue to Gamble (Part 2)

In January, I wrote a blog titled "Why Continue to Gamble?" It basically outlined my thoughts about gambling in any area of life and questioned the reasoning behind gambling after you've already won. I think I may now have found my own answer.

In order to ever win, you must be willing to loose. You have to risk something in order to possibly gain more. I was faced with a decision a few weeks ago: to attend the University of Utah or the University of Maryland. The University of Utah was willing to offer me full tuition plus an additional stipend to attend their public policy program. Whereas, the University of Maryland did not have any scholarships or financial aid accessible to me. Most people told me it was an easy decision, that I had already won, and the financial package made Utah an excellent choice. They were right. Utah is a great choice and has an excellent program. But for me personally, I knew there was something greater. I wanted to attend Maryland and I wanted to move to DC. I had won, but I continued to gamble. Why? I gambled because I was willing to loose what I had already won in hopes of a bigger payoff.

If you don't gamble the status-quo, you'll go on living your life and you'll probably be just fine. But what if you want extraordinary? You have to be willing to loose; you have to continue to gamble even after you've already won. If your wanting to know if I hit the jackpot...I did. Yesterday, I was offered a Graduate Assistantship at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. They have an amazing program and are very dedicated to the community. Plus, I get to work in theater...a passion that I have loved and been involved with for eight years. I work 20 hours a week and in return, the University is waiving my tuition for my master's program, providing me a health plan, and granting me an additional cash stipend. It's an amazing opportunity and I've been thanking God every second.

So why do people continue to gamble? They are looking for extraordinary.

Why continue to Gamble?

I know why people gamble. You play the slots, try to be the one to hit the jackpot. You move to Hollywood, try to be one of the few who gets on the big screen. You date, try to find the person you want to spend your life with. It's easy to understand the human motivation to take a chance. The real question is.....Why, once a person wins, does she continue to gamble?

A man goes to Las Vegas. He bets everything he has on one roll. He wins and has everything he has ever wanted. He has spent his life trying to make a roll just like this one. He knows he was lucky. He knows the house usually wins. So why does he continue to gamble after he's already won?

A young graduate scores the job of her dreams. A few years past and she believes that she can do better, be hired to do something more. Why does the girl give up something she has worked her whole life to achieve? Why does she give up the perfect job on the slim assumption that there's something better?

Two people fall in love. They have been looking for each other high and low. They both know that the other is a perfect match, that they want to spend forever with each other, that they were lucky to find each other in the first place. A few months pass and the man decides to break up with her. He is afraid he is missing out on something more, something greater. Why would a person assume there's someone better after they have already found the best?

Why gamble when you've already won?