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Taking a Risk - Surprising Lessons I Learned from a Television Game Show
Okay, I admit it. I sometimes watch this new television game show hosted by Howie Mandel called Deal or No Deal. The whole idea of this show so put me off when it first debuted almost a year ago. Greedy, half hysterical contestants making fools of themselves to win a million dollars? Scantily clad models clutching cases numbered 1-26 containing amounts ranging from a penny to $1 million? Stand-up comic Howie Mandel as the host? Screaming audience members advising the contestant to "Deal" or "No Deal"? Yuck!
One night another family member was watching it and so half listening I noticed that Howie was sweet and respectful to the contestants. There were no cheap-shot jokes to get a laugh. Yes, the contestants are sort of goofy and obviously chosen for the entertainment value in how they express their enthusiasm. And yes, the screaming audience is annoying. But, what drew me in was the level of risk the contestant is willing to take based on nerves, instinct and intuition.
It starts out with the contestant choosing one case out of the 26, which he keeps until the unsealing at the end. The risk kicks in when he must then start eliminating the remaining 25 cases that are opened to reveal the amounts inside thus the likelihood of the player having a valuable cash amount in his or her case increases or decreases.
Into this mix comes a mysterious banker who after each round of predetermined cases are opened, offers to buy the players first chosen case. The offer is based on the odds. If the player has managed to make choices that eliminate the lower amounts in the cases then the higher the offer. The player must then choose to take the deal or declare no deal and move on knowing that if a large amount is chosen the banker's offer could be dramatically lowered in the next round. After a couple of rounds, the player is encouraged to consult with the three family members or friends he has brought along.
So why has all this become so fascinating to me? At the beginning, the player is asked what they want to do with the money they win (motivation). The answers are varied, and yes some are pretty self-serving, but most want to help someone else or support a charity or cause they believe in.
What got me watching, or half-listening, is the level of risk the player is willing to make; how much they rely on their own instincts; how much they are influenced by their three-member support group; or how much they play to the audience approval.
Alright, another admission--I love the big risk takers! Sometimes they win big and sometimes they go home with little, but they always play the most interesting game, while having the most fun and, to me, are richer for having taken the risk.
"... and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." --Anais Nin
"It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you miss 100% of the shots that you do not take." --Wayne Gretzky
What are your dreams and are you ready to take the risk to make them real?
One night another family member was watching it and so half listening I noticed that Howie was sweet and respectful to the contestants. There were no cheap-shot jokes to get a laugh. Yes, the contestants are sort of goofy and obviously chosen for the entertainment value in how they express their enthusiasm. And yes, the screaming audience is annoying. But, what drew me in was the level of risk the contestant is willing to take based on nerves, instinct and intuition.
It starts out with the contestant choosing one case out of the 26, which he keeps until the unsealing at the end. The risk kicks in when he must then start eliminating the remaining 25 cases that are opened to reveal the amounts inside thus the likelihood of the player having a valuable cash amount in his or her case increases or decreases.
Into this mix comes a mysterious banker who after each round of predetermined cases are opened, offers to buy the players first chosen case. The offer is based on the odds. If the player has managed to make choices that eliminate the lower amounts in the cases then the higher the offer. The player must then choose to take the deal or declare no deal and move on knowing that if a large amount is chosen the banker's offer could be dramatically lowered in the next round. After a couple of rounds, the player is encouraged to consult with the three family members or friends he has brought along.
So why has all this become so fascinating to me? At the beginning, the player is asked what they want to do with the money they win (motivation). The answers are varied, and yes some are pretty self-serving, but most want to help someone else or support a charity or cause they believe in.
What got me watching, or half-listening, is the level of risk the player is willing to make; how much they rely on their own instincts; how much they are influenced by their three-member support group; or how much they play to the audience approval.
Alright, another admission--I love the big risk takers! Sometimes they win big and sometimes they go home with little, but they always play the most interesting game, while having the most fun and, to me, are richer for having taken the risk.
"... and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." --Anais Nin
"It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you miss 100% of the shots that you do not take." --Wayne Gretzky
What are your dreams and are you ready to take the risk to make them real?