When Ego Plays to Win, You Lose
I learned a big life lesson when I was 17 and away at university. Less is More. I was invited to join my local pub to play on the pool team. Each week we’d visit a different pub and play them at pool.
I was a pretty good pool player, but I was aggressive, assertive and I took risks. I gave it everything and often times too much. Playing pool well and drinking don’t mix. So my performance would dip as the evening progressed.
Over time I compared my performance to one of my team member. Let’s call him Eddie, Steady Eddie. He was a fraction as good as me, except he used to win more. That was a critical lesson to learn. He took it steady. I let ego play my game. I’d always go for the shot. I’d play to win with drama.
He used to play what I called “Rolly Polly Pool”. He’d not really go for the shot, but he’d aim to get roll the ball close to the hole. He’d never overshoot. He just got closer to his goal, one step at a time. He was totally drama free. It wasn’t a fun game to watch, but he would win games.
Slow and steady. It really was a case of the tortoise and the hare.
Reminds me of my last post on Spikes vs Steady Growth.
I could not keep up my high paced game for very long. Ego got in the way. I’d crash and burn.
So over time, I learned to mix it up. I’d play some drama shots and play some rolly polly pool.
I won more games. I became a better player.This lesson applies to life.
Learn when to play the big shot. Learn when to save yourself. Learn when to maintain your cool. Be deliberate.
Most of all don’t let ego get in the way. Don’t let your ego play to win.
Image Credit: conanil
Nick is co-founder the social curation platform Listly, that combines crowdsourcing, content curation and embedable lists to drive high-level community engagement, live inside your blog posts. Connect with Nick on Twitter · Linkedin, Facebook and G+ and follow his writing via his other guest posts and on his blogs at NickKellet.com and blog.list.ly
Loved this one because I completely understand - and can relate to - the analogy. I used to play pool (and foosball) for lunch/beer money in high school. In high school, surrounded by football players, you could afford to be aggressive and risky because everybody wanted to "one-up" your shot. I was very good at pool, so I was always well-fed (and, umm...hydrated).
Fast forward to my first career for a large engineering company with a break room. I would play some of those crafty engineers/draftsman, and they would win. I'd make incredible bank shots, combinations and uses of english. They would plod, and they would be more than willing to hit a defensive shot to make it more difficult for me. Meanwhile, I had no concept of defense...thought that was cheating.
Steady Eddie taught me to balance defense w/offense - to have controlled aggression that looks at both sides of the game. It may not get you cheers...but it's better at getting your lunch paid ;)
Thanks:) @MartyDia Get your Ego or Get what you want - When Ego Plays to Win, You Lose http://t.co/x2NUaoGq via @NickKellet