“We ought not to judge of men’s merits by their qualifications, but by the use they make of them.” – Pierre Charron
Viewing entries tagged
skills
“If I find myself asking a student who claims that he is an ‘identity crisis’ whether he is complaining or boasting. The pertinent question would be ‘what do I want to make of myself, and what do I have to work with?’” - Erik H. Erikson
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because it is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and it will be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges the motivate you. Keep the channel open.
No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
- Martha Graham, to Agnes de Mille,
as quoted by Sara Bareilles in her book “Sounds Like Me”
You may be following the political and legal battle surrounding daily fantasy sports. I won’t recap all the issues here, but one crucial question that has been poised is this: Is betting on sports a game of chance or a game of skill? Certainly playing the lottery is a game of chance. Being better at starching the tickets or picking numbers, has no correlation to winning. However, assembling a fantasy sports team does require a degree of familiarity with the players, understanding of their injuries or mindset, and, although I don’t play, I assume one can increase their odds with better choices.
This got me thinking about gambling and risk in general. It seems to me that life itself is both a game of chance and skill. You can be born in the right country in the right century to maximize your options. That clearly is luck. You can make good choices and improve your odds. You can educate yourself, get and take advice, and learn from your mistakes. Life certainly favors the skilled. You can meet a friend-of-a-friend at a cocktail party (chance) and impress with your expertise and witty banter and they consider investing in your company, buying your product, or offering you a new position (skill). Like this example, most of us experience a good mix.
There is a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson that reads “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” I suppose that is really the take-away from our experience. Everyone is gambling with the hand we have been dealt. And with better plays, can win more frequently.
I am very aware of the blessings that I have received without my involvement or skill. I am humbled to realize that my success is in a large part attributed to things outside my control. This is why I am committed to give others the opportunity to achieve their full potential. This is why I joined the board of Marathon Scholars. I invite you to learn more about the organization, become a mentor, invest in a scholarship for a worthy scholar, and find other ways to get involved.
Author and activist Valeria Kahn has spoken that her passionate advocacy being her sword and her law degree being her shield.
Others might consider their looks their sword and their sense of humor their shield. Others might list their customer relationships as their sword and their technical training as their shield.
What is your sword and shield?