What is Your Game?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040f0f21egerdp.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="041203c0.jpg" border=0 width="32" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Magic of Reading</B></FONT><B>      |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magic of Reading"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03ff2f02egerdp.jpg"> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">  <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="359add00.gif" border=0 width="173" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="042f0f03.jpg"> <div> <I>What is Your Game?</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you sometimes get annoyed, down on yourself or mad even because you can't do something you never learned how to do?  Do you wish you could play a musical instrument, speak Spanish, understand how to operate a digital recorder, or dance, but can't seem to garner the momentum necessary for prolonged study and mastery of a new skill?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dr. Davis explains why we get discouraged when facing a new experience or learning project and how we can eagerly embrace new challenges rather than always feeling a new skill or activity is just beyond our reach.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Use of this technique offers a promise of a new fail-free lifestyle for each of us.  How cool is that?</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>What is Your Game?<IMG SRC="3c1f8360.gif" border=0 width="248" height="310" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="13" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This technique may astound you, as it does me, just thinking about it. I am actually in awe of the words I am about to write. They explain much about your and my successes and failures.  They offer a promise of a new fail-free lifestyle for each of us.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When I was six or seven years old I wanted to play baseball. I had seen kids playing the game at the community playground.  I had tossed balls and hit balls and caught balls, and now I wanted to learn how to play the game.  My parents obliged by signing me up to play in an organized baseball league.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Imagine if the first day I showed up to play baseball the coach placed me in right field and said no more. What would I do when a ball was hit to me?  What would I do when the inning was over and my teammates ran to the dugout?  What would I do when it was my turn to bat?  What if I actually hit the ball, where would I go?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There are a lot of games in this world, almost all of which require instruction, practice, refinement of technique, and game experience.  The problem is we often expect to be able to perform well in games we have not learned to play.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you wonder why you can't fix your car when it breaks down?  Are you frustrated because preparing your tax return is such a chore?  Does operating your computer, cell phone, digital camera drive you mad?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The problem is always the same:  </B><B>You haven't learned how to play the game, yet you believe you should know how automatically.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Just for fun, make two lists.  List first the games you know how to play.  Then list games you do not know how to play, but wish you could.  When I created my lists I focused on games I was most proud of being able to do, and games I felt I probably needed to learn.  For example, of the games I know how to play, I listed writing, public speaking, teaching, juggling, yoga; the games I don't know how to play I listed speaking Spanish, understanding most electronic devices, playing musical instruments.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Now, you may be wondering, what to do with your lists?  Here are three things to do:</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>1.  Take heart in the list of games you know how to play.  This is your power.  This is your proof that you can learn and master anything you want to do!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>2.  Look carefully at the games you do not know how to play.  Understand you will likely not have time, energy or desire to learn and master everything on your list.  </B><B>What games do you really want to learn?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>3.  Decide the game or games you will master.  Ninety percent of the work is making the decision.  The other 10% is spending time regularly learning the game or games you have chosen.  Personal power in us all is created and enhanced by making decisions and following through.  Select your game, learn to play your game, and enjoy your new hobby every day!  You will be astounded how quickly you become attached to your game, and how quickly you gain knowledge and skill that may have once seemed beyond your capability.</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>End</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ben Franklin University"><U><B>Ben Franklin University</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>