There is a saying in poker (at least in our poker group) that has special meaning for the Resilient Worker: “The Big Cat Walks Late”. What exactly does this mean? There will be times, early in the night, when fortune may not be smiling upon you. Despite great strategy and decent cards, you may not win a single hand. Your frustration mounts as your chips dwindle. But you must not lose your optimism. You must not lose your focus. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Inevitably, the early round losers, who have the wherewithal to persevere, end up as big winners by the end of the evening. The night is a marathon, not a sprint, and those early losses only strengthen your resolve as the rounds roll on. Conversely, amassing early wins can take away your edge. The victories pile up and it may feel as if the streak is going to last forever. Oftentimes, the early winners fizzle out in the end and go home disappointed and disillusioned. You must maintain your resolve if you are going to stay on top. Everyone wants to take a shot at knocking down the early chip leader. If the wins are coming too easily, your pile becomes harder to defend. Anyone can have success early. But Only The Big Cat Walks Late!
The same is true in our professional lives. It can be a struggle in the early part of our career. We may be too young to be taken seriously. We may make a critical mistake due to our lack of experience. Some of our early business ventures may fail entirely. But you need to maintain your enthusiasm and focus during these difficult times. There will be setbacks. There will be heartaches. But as long as you are moving forward, you can solve these problems and learn from your mistakes. As long as you are moving forward, you can withstand those early defeats and find your true potential. Recognize that you are always in the early rounds. No matter where you are on the spectrum of life, there is always an opportunity to realize your dreams. The only way you can lose is if you fold your cards and go home. The only way you can lose is if you believe your best days are behind you. As long as you stay positive, and maintain your effort, you will see your chip stack grow and your victories pile up. And those early losses will allow you to appreciate your late victories even more. Your resilience and ability to move forward in the face defeat will define your life. Nothing will be able to stop you. The Big Cat Will Walk Late.
Not to say there is anything wrong with early success. Some people live a charmed life. They start off strong and they finish strong in business and in life. There are times when The Big Cat Walks Early AND Late. God bless them and I wish those people continued happiness. Failure is not a prerequisite for success. But it is more difficult to appreciate your victories if success is all you have ever known. It is more difficult to maintain your resiliency if you have never faced adversity. Nobody sets out to fail. Nobody wants to suffer misfortune or heartache. Nobody seeks out roadblocks in their life. But our early losses form our character. Our early setbacks provide us with the grit and determination to propel us back to the top. Once we get there, those early defeats will give us the confidence to stay on top. And what a sweet journey that will be!
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner. –English Proverb
Not everything will be easy. Especially in the beginning. But it’s all about how you finish. A student may struggle early in grade school only to emerge as an honors scholar in college. An athlete may struggle with coordination and confidence as a child only to emerge as a star player in high school. An entrepreneur may endure several failed businesses before founding the next Fortune 500 behemoth. There is no reason to give up. Perhaps you are a late-bloomer. Perhaps you have not found your true calling. Perhaps you simply have not found the right opportunity. You are too smart and too talented to stay down forever. Stay resilient! Stay positive! Stay motivated! You may stumble early in the journey, but you need to keep moving forward into the later rounds. You are the Big Cat. And the Big Cat Walks Late!
Until next week, keep smiling!
Don’t cry away your life because you fell out of the cradle.
Exactly. Plenty of time to recover and move on. Thx, D. Gaul.