Interpreting the Gambler

In 1978, Kenny Rogers released a song called The Gambler. The song’s narrator sings about meeting a gambler on a train where they exchange whisky, cigarettes, and advice. The Gambler shares his outlook (via a poker metaphor) in the refrain:

You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em

Know when to fold ‘em 

Know when to walk away,

Know when to run

I was recently listening to The Gambler, casually singing along, when I thought about times in my life I knew I needed to walk away (and times I knew I needed to run)!

But knowing when is only half the battle. You also need to know how.

How to walk away from something that doesn’t bring you joy. How to leave a situation that isn’t right for you. How to say no to something that just isn’t working anymore.

It’s not simple. But the more times you do it, the more times you trust yourself, the more times you learn to believe in your own authentic heart, the easier it gets to live in a way that feels right to you. The easier it gets to walk away and to start over. To be unafraid in the face of uncertainty. To roll the dice on yourself.