Rule Number One

Rule number one is:Put It All In. This single little tip will sometimes make the difference between succes and failure in any endeavor. As Mark Twain wrote in Pudd'n-head Wilson's Calender, "Put all your eggs in the one basket...but WATCH THAT BASKET!". Of course, sometimes you'll crash and burn, sometimes you may miss the final shot and lose the game, sometimes you may take chances, or say and do things that result in your "friends" or associates thinking that you've lost your mind. Well...FUCK IT...and fuck them! If you crash and burn, at least you will have flown. If you miss the final shot, you WILL have been the fulcrum on which victory and defeat are decided. And you will find that "friends" are always ready and willing to seek your guidance and leadership if only to have a hedge on all bets if and when a given proposition goes into the tank.

Now make no mistake, this rule carries with it immense responsibilities. You can't expect success in any venture without the proper preparation. "Putting it all in" is the final step in a long process. To be a great athlete, to be the one with the ball in your hands as the clock ticks off the final seconds, you had better been born with the physical gifts associated with your chosen sport. You had better have done the required research in order to educate yourself in the finer points of technique, be it strength, footwork, eye-hand coordination and so forth. You had better be practicing MENTALLY as well as physically...every waking moment, as well as dreaming every night, visualizing yourself taking that last shot. And if you do the work, you had better KNOW that you are the one who DESERVES to take that shot.

Some choose to deride this attitude by calling it arrogance or selfishness. These are commonly known as "fans" or "audiences". A great player, whether in sports, music, poker or even business might be dependent on "fans" or "audiences" or "consumers" for their livlihood. But again, make no mistake, Great players do what they do for the THRILL of it. Great players PUT IT ALL IN.