Pick A Strategy And Stick To It

Father’s Day last weekend had me thinking about my dad more than usual.  It’s bittersweet; fun memories mixed with sadness that he’s no longer with us.

Some people have dads that take them to sporting events. Some have dads who share a passion for the great outdoors, including fishing and camping.  Others have dads who teach the mechanics of fixing a car.

My dad taught me how to play cards.

He would bring us “gifts” of playing cards from his travels.  That was back in the day when airlines actually gave away decks of cards to help passengers bide their time. 

Dad taught me all kinds of games including Gin, Solitaire, and what became our favorite, Black Jack.  Or Twenty-One, as Dad called it.

Some may call this gambling. I prefer to think of it as strategic life lessons.

I would pull up the ottoman in front of his chair, grab a deck of cards and the lesson would begin, with Dad assuming the role of a Vegas dealer.  While I was learning, Dad would look at my cards and show me how to anticipate what the dealer might be holding in order to decide if I should “hit” or “stay”.

As I progressed in my abilities these games became quite competitive.  Dad had a pad next to his chair for score-keeping and it was such fun for me to actually beat the dealer.

We spent a lot of time playing cards, Dad and I. Lots of time.  We didn’t go outside much; he wasn’t that kind of dad.

What did I learn from the many hours spent playing cards with Dad?

• I learned to do quick addition in my head.  Never a bad thing.
• Poker face.  Never let them see you sweat.  As a child I didn’t fully understand the importance of this lesson.  As an adult it’s been an amazing gift for business negotiations.
• Be consistent.  Dad would tell me you’re rarely going to beat the house, so whatever your strategy is, stay with it.   Since I’d yet to visit Vegas, I wasn’t sure what this meant or what the house was, but it sounded very important so I listened and tucked the knowledge away.

Now it’s all coming back to me and I understand what Dad meant.  If you keep jumping around and changing your strategy, you’re almost surely never going to win at Black Jack.

If you decide that you are always going to “hold” with sixteen, that’s a good strategy built on solid thinking.  While it may not win every time, if you are consistent with this strategy you will win some of the time.   Just be patient and stick with your plan.

The same can be said for our careers.  It’s easy to get impatient and want to change course if things don’t move fast enough or go the way we want them to.  Sometimes shifting direction works.  But the best bet is to determine a sound strategy and stick with it.

“Plan the work and work the plan” is what I say at the office.  Dad would say “Determine when you are going to ‘hit’ or when you are going to ‘stay’”.

Either way, just pick a strategy and stick to it.  It’s the best way to achieve your career goals.