Tag: kenny roger

The lyrics to Kenny Rogers song The Gambler is one of my all time favourites. Here are a few exerpts out of the song, that if you relate it to business and your next deal, you might find something to remember.

He said, "Son, I've made my life
Out of readin' people's faces
Knowin' what the cards were
By the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind my sayin'
I can see you're out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll give you some advice"

So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet
And his faced lost all expression
He said, "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
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

Now every gambler knows the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep"

Knowing when to hold 'em and knowing when to fold 'em, knowing when to walk away and knowing when to run - when you are doing a deal, if you can do all of these things in a sound manner, you will always win the hand. The issues we face in business is that we don't always get these things right. Even the most experienced deal makers like your Murdochs and Packers don't always get it right - so how do us (mere mortals) get it right?

I thought about this song as I was walking into a list after lunch, and it really stuck in my mind. Thought I would share it on this marketing blog.

Cheers!