📖 weekly read ↓
The Odds Are Never Zero: On Taking a Chance in Your Career
Some nights feel like a screenwriter wrote them.
Moments that seem so perfectly, ridiculously orchestrated that you start to wonder:
​What are the odds of that happening?
Recently, I lived one of those moments.
And it didn’t just leave me speechless.
It reminded me why we have to take risks in our careers and what can happen when we trust our gut.
Scene One: Parking Spot 069
It started the moment I pulled into the parking garage at the Borgata. I wasn’t looking for signs. I was just looking for a spot.
A parking attendant waved me forward. “Right here,” he said, motioning to the left.
I looked up. The sign read: 069.
Didn’t think anything of it at the time. I parked, locked up, and headed inside.
But 069 would come back to me, in a big way.
Scene Two: The First Bet
I walked into the casino with zero plans to gamble. I wasn’t feeling lucky. I wasn’t chasing adrenaline. I was just drawn to the roulette table.
I had $100 in my pocket—one black chip.
I placed it down.
“Black, please.”
The wheel spun.
The croupier called it: “Ten. Black.”
My chip doubled. I kept a straight face. Inside, I felt this electric buzz—not from the win, but from something I couldn’t explain.
I didn’t hesitate. I slid half the winnings—another $100—across the table.
Scene Three: The Anniversary Bet
“On 19, please.”
Why 19?
It’s not a lucky number.
It’s my anniversary—10/19.
That date has always meant something to me. So I picked it.
The wheel spun again.
Slower this time. Clicking. Clicking. Teasing.
The ball bounced once. Twice. Then dropped.
​Continue reading...​
​