What's At Stake?

For you to feel alive, something has to be at stake. That's the premise of this mini podcast.

 Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

What’s At Stake?

I don’t know if this is objectively true . . . but it sure feels true to me.

If you want to feel more alive, something has to be at stake.

I keep coming back to two ideas.

One: to play your best, something has to be at stake. And two: for any game to be interesting, something has to be at stake.

And that reminds me of a story . . .

Almost thirty years ago, a friend of mine—Chris—and I were on a supply run to Office Max. Real glamorous stuff. There was a basketball rolling around in the back seat of my car, and in the parking lot I noticed an abandoned shopping cart parked next to a light pole.

I said, “Let’s play a game.”

I made it up on the spot. We called it Carriage Ball. Basically basketball . . . but with a much bigger hoop.

And instantly—instantly—we went competitive. Who’s winning? Who’s the champion? Who gets bragging rights?

I honestly don’t remember who won. I just remember how alive we felt. Two grown idiots wrestling over a shopping cart in an Office Max parking lot. Why was it fun? Because something was at stake. Not money. Not status. Just our aliveness.

And here’s the thing.

When nothing’s at stake—when there’s no risk—our performance goes flat. Life goes flat.

The unspoken rule of modern life is don’t risk anything. And the result is this weird middle ground—no big highs, no big lows. Just “steady as she goes.” A slow, comfortable fading out that we somehow agree to call living.

Risk is what wakes us up.

It’s at the edge that we learn something new. Stay inside the comfort zone too long and we don’t grow—we wither.

Now, this isn’t a pitch to become a thrill seeker. That just turns risk into another addiction. Risk isn’t the goal. It’s the doorway.

Start small. Practice risking where the stakes are low. Say the thing. Try the thing. Raise your hand.

Small risks train you to trust yourself. And that trust is everything.

Because risk only works when it’s paired with trust—the trust that there’s a part of you that knows how to handle uncertainty. That you can manage the downside and still get a return.

That doesn’t mean you win all the time. If you did, it would be boring.

Which reminds me of another story . . .

A kid I grew up with—Gerry—had an old pinball machine in his basement. All the neighborhood kids would crowd around it, competing for the high score. Bragging rights were on the line. Adrenaline everywhere. Win or lose, it was a blast.

Then one day, we got a “brilliant” idea.

We disabled the tilt mechanism. That’s the part of a pinball machine that ends the game if you shake it too much. In other words—it’s the risk.

Without tilt, we could lift the machine, tip it, do whatever we wanted to keep the ball in play.

And you know what happened?

It stopped being fun. Immediately.

No challenge. No tension. No aliveness.

Even as kids, we learned something important: remove the risk, and you remove the life.

Here’s the paradox.

If nothing’s at stake, you can’t really win. But when something is at stake, you feel alive whether you win or lose.

When you refuse to risk, you let the grapes die on the vine.

So I’d like to amend a popular phrase.

Instead of “No risk, no reward,” how about “No risk, no life.”

I’m willing to bet that if you invite a little more risk into your days—on purpose—you’ll feel more alive every single day.

All the best,

John