Every so often this memory keep popping back into my mind:Â I was in a casino in London a few years ago and a guy put a huge amount of money on one sole number on the roulette table (when I say huge I mean huge), the number came in and the place erupted! I noticed the guy didn't look happy, he just wanted his money. As it was an astronomical amount of money the manager had to meet with him and ensure he was ok. I then noticed the guy continued to play; within 1 hour he had lost all of his winnings!
True story, Just thought I'd mention it.
My memory of looking for food in the community kitchen because I had gambled all my money away that month and had nothing is stronger than any win I have ever had or seen in person. Â
I noticed the guy didn't look happy,
Looking back now I realise that I was very numb to winning, like I would go hours (and lose untold astronomical amounts) but it wouldn't even register untill there was nothing left
Winning wasn't joy it was a way to carry onÂ
But it is a near miss that gets the chemicals going right? The wins are just fuel. If that guy looked like that (numb) when he won you need to ask yourself how many times he won for it to become second nature for him, before it almost became a god given right, and a must for him to have the hit? We teach ourselves these things by repeating the actions. For you it was something big that time but for him it was just another day in the office.
It numbs you it dumbs you and it hooks you. Then you repeat again and again so that you can get your dopamine chemicals going. Then you need more of the same to get the high so today that big pile of money could be a truck load today if he was to get the same kick as te did back in the day. That is the math of this.
Money has NOTHING to do with it. It is just fuel.
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