Many of us have seen the successful show hosted here in the United States with Howie Mandel called Deal or No Deal. I find the show quite fascinating…it’s interesting to watch how far people are willing to go to reach the case with the top financial prize. So many try to climb that ladder, and unfortunately few succeed.

Deal Or No Deal kind of reminds me of another show that operated along the same premise….that show was hosted by Monty Hall and was called Let’s Make A Deal.That show also tested the contestants to see how far they would go before they would take the money and walk away.

So how about you? How much does it take for us as individuals to keep climbing up the ladder, letting it ride or say, That’s as far as I want to go. Each year we hear of many employees taking early buyouts, putting them on the fast track to retirement. Those sweetheart deals seem to be coming less and less these days.

In a recent conversation with a friend of mine we had a chuckle or two about the show Deal Or No Deal. Surprisingly, both of us would quite easily walk away within the 250 to 300 thousand dollar range. Call us chicken, but with each roll of the dice after that, the chances of financial windfall greatly diminish. Here’s a crazy question I have for you all out there….if someone showed up at your door with a million dollar check, and said to you, You can have this check, if you agree to not do any more substantial work in your life. That means, all other goals are null and void. Would you do it….would you take the check? Sounds great in theory, but it’s surprising how fast a million dollars can go through some people’s hands. Not to mention, does life get strange and boring if there are no goals to strive for? Some I know would take the money and run, while others may hesitate.

I believe the reason these shows like Deal Or No Deal are successful is because it forces us to think and contemplate what we would do…how far we would go before we would be willing and content to cash out. It’s a great way to examine all our wants and needs. Those weekly contestants, deep down, represent all of us, while the spotlight shines on their blessings and flaws. The people who seem to do the best on those type of shows are the ones who know what they want and need before the game begins.

Roll the dice wisely,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon