jonwashburn

"I learned that the most important decision I could make was which table to sit at.

~from Delivering Happiness by Zappos founder Tony Hsieh

This statement has been rustling through my subconscious for the past few weeks. It's profound and life changing. I seem to find myself navigating through life, and making decisions, based on a few guiding principles; and this concept from Tony is cementing into my mind as a defining guide.

This concept isn't new. There's no doubt you're familiar with the phrase "In the right place, at the right time.", or perhaps you've read Donald Trump's declaration that "Everything in life is luck."  

Table selection, is a phrase used in poker to describe which table you sit at. It's an important part of the game because each table brings with it a unique set of characteristics; competitor strength, stakes, game type, and betting structure.  

It seems that the more I study success and people, the more I realize that table selection plays (amongst) the biggest role in determining success. In other words, it doesn't matter how well you execute if you are in the wrong business, in too small of a market, or the timing isn't right. Contrarily, even the dumbest person will find success if they are in the right business at the right time.

Fictional character, Forrest Gump, ("Stupid is as Stupid does") became wealthy after investing $25,000 in a shrimp boat that became the sole surviving boat after a hurricane. Before the hurricane, his boat was a financial failure.

Another example of changing tables and finding success is found in the biography of Guy Laliberte. He is a professional poker player, the founder of Cirque du Soleil, and a self made billionaire. However, before changing tables and creating Cirque du Soleil, he was a broke street performer.

In poker, table selection isn't something that is done once (when you first select your table before you start playing). It is something that a good player is constantly doing, because like in business and life, the dynamics of the table is always changing. 

When was the last time you candidly assessed the table you've chosen?

I started my first real mini-business in 1994 when I was still in high school. It was called Paradigm Interactive Media (pimedia.com) and we were a web site development company. Since I didn't know anything about developing websites, my job was to go out and sell the websites to local business; jewelery shops, hair salons, restaurants, etc. 

Every time I entered one of those businesses looking for a sale, I was terrified.

Right after high school, my family went through some financial setbacks and I wanted to do what I could to help, so I got my real estate license and started to sell houses. 

Every listing appointment and each time I met with a buyer, I was terrified.

After some time I got less terrified being a real estate agent and actually got kind of good at it, so I decided it was time to push myself one-step further and I recruited a group of my peers and created a real estate brokerage. 

I bootstrapped the brokerage and grew it while being incredibly underfunded. Because I didn't has sufficient credit, capital, or experience to license a franchise, I created the company as an independent; without any sort of support infrastructure I had no idea what I was supposed to do. Every day going into the office I was terrified, but I went in anyways.

One thing led to another and now I find myself running a business that is blazing a trail of innovation and yet at the same time foraging for survival. Everyday I am charged to do at least one thing that is well beyond my knowledge level, skill level, talent level, or experience level; often times it is beyond my level on all four fronts. But I do that thing anyways. I put myself into the position that I have no choice but show up and do my best. Calling in sick is not an option.

I show up to work and don't know what the day will bring. I try things where the outcome is unknown. I am terrified everyday, but I would have it no other way.