Every Hand has Potential if Playing with Intention

Last week I wrote about perspective and how one shift in focus can change the entire tone of a day. The reflection came from Bill Withers’ Lovely Day: "When the day that lies ahead of you seems impossible to face, and someone else instead of you always seems to know the way…"

That reminder of perspective sets the stage for this week’s theme: playing the game with intention.

"If you’re gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right. You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, Know when to walk away, and know when to run. You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table. There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done."

We’re all players in a game that constantly reshuffles. New hands. New odds. New dynamics. Some hands feel like winners from the start. Others look unremarkable until time reveals their hidden strength. But the real art isn’t in the cards — it’s in how we choose to play them.

Once perspective clears the noise, the next step is how we play the hand we’re dealt. Too often, we play by someone else’s rules:

• Chasing goals that sound “right” but don’t align with what truly matters.

• Holding on too long — to a client, a habit, or even an identity — simply because of how much we’ve already invested.

• Or missing the opening for something better because we’re so focused on what we might lose.

There’s wisdom in remembering that every hand carries potential – to win, to learn, or to teach us when to let go. The skill lies in reading the moment, trusting our instincts, and making choices that serve the long game, not just the round in front of us.

Success doesn’t come from perfect cards; it comes from playing with purpose. This week, ask yourself: What game are you really playing? And more importantly — is it truly yours, or one you’ve been dealt without ever questioning the rules?

Next week, I’ll share the full lyric behind this lesson.