AI is one of the most prevalent topics in our country, probably others too. Of course, you know AI as Artificial Intelligence. That’s ONE description. The AI that I’ve been encouraging for decades is ALL IN! Okay, you may be confused as to why I would promote a poker term. I’ve never played that nor any other card game. So, no, it’s not a card game term I’m referring to.
My mantra for decades now has been ALL IN! I cue my audiences by asking, “Are you in?”
Answering ANY question with “ALL IN!” is a declaration of commitment. Being ALL IN! means giving 100 percent. When we give 100 percent, that’s our best…all we’ve got. The term we used back in the day was “work ethic.” I’m not sure we value having a work ethic anymore, much less a 100 percent commitment. Often, it seems, people want the reward for just showing up, not for doing the work required.
I discovered my AI, ALL IN!, while reading Pat Riley’s book, The Winner Within, where he wrote, “There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either in or out. There's no such thing as a life in-between.” Actually, there is. It’s called mediocrity. Do you strive to be mediocre? Most of us would prefer great, or, at least, good.
As a leader, you expect your followers to give 100 percent, don’t you? The only way to teach someone how to lead is to show them how. That means that YOU have to be ALL IN! if you expect your followers to do so.
I think there’s a very close correlation between ALL IN! and excellence. A lifetime ago, CMSgt (Retired) George Moriarty taught me that excellence is not perfection. It’s about giving your best to all you do. None of us will ever be perfect, but all of us can give all we’ve got. Former President Jimmy Carter wrote a book another lifetime ago titled, Why Not The Best?, that’s based on an interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover who asked him if he’d always given his best while a midshipman at the Naval Academy. President Carter answered honestly… that he had not. Why not, was the admiral’s follow-up question. You’ll have to read the book to gain President Carter’s perspective.
Sometimes, our ALL IN! isn’t enough. There are times I’ve given everything, but it just wasn’t enough. But I know it was all I had. Could I have given more? No. At the end of the day, if you’ve given all you had, that’s all anyone can ask for.
Why aren’t we always ALL IN!? We all have our reasons. Sometimes, they may even be rationalizations. You know what we produce when we rationalize? Rational. Lies. Dr Stephen Covey taught me that.
I’m not advocating for you to give so much that you kill yourself, but you can give all you have for that moment, hour, day, to ensure that what you produce is the best you can.
I’m convinced that our country, as a culture, needs to revisit the idea of AI. We need to recommit to embracing the right values and exemplifying them to the best of our capabilities on a daily basis. Imagine how great we'd be if everyone gave their best at being our best! Imagine if we replaced AI with AI…ALL IN!
Are you in?!
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