I’ve never been much of a gambler. It always seemed too risky to bet money on something that wasn’t guaranteed.

But there I was recently in Las Vegas thinking about placing a bet.

As I walked around a massive casino dotted with people betting their money on slot machines, blackjack tables, and roulette wheels, I asked myself this question:

Would I bet on me? Would I bet on me doing all that’s required to accomplish my most important goals in life?

I realized for the bookies in Vegas my odds of success would be easy to determine. All they had to do was take a look at what I did yesterday, the day before that, last week, the month before, etc. Like a sports team, this is my track record.

The harsh reality is that just a few years ago, I wouldn’t have bet on me, let alone allowed anyone else to do so.

It’s not that I didn’t care—my resume would tell you otherwise—it’s just that for most of my life, I’ve gotten “good enough” results while not nearly giving my all.

I’ve held good enough jobs that I didn’t like. I’ve spent good enough time with family and friends. And I’ve been in good enough relationships that didn’t last.

I’ve always been great at accomplishing goals for others and the various companies I’ve worked for over the years—their goals. But accomplishing what was important to me was a different story.

The reality was that I didn’t know what it meant, or even how, to live intentionally. With purpose.

Over the years, I have let a lot of good opportunities pass me by. I missed deadlines. I skipped important meetings. I didn’t follow up on phone calls. I was great at making excuses.

Why? Frankly, I was afraid of showing up 100 percent. Afraid of giving my all. Afraid of the grit and commitment involved.

I mean, god forbid, I might finish something. Something might work out. I might realize that what I thought was important to me wasn’t important at all. I might spend time with people who made me better. I might, gasp, be happy!

It was only after I experienced a life-changing event that I decided to love and accept my past, put in behind me, and turn the page.

During this raw time, I realized that no one cared more about my goals than I did. That effort was between me and me. The fear of not giving my all shook me to the core.

From here, a shift occurred. I got curious about what would happen if I followed through. What would happen if I surrounded myself with people who made me better? What would happen if I approached each day intentionally? What would happen if I stayed committed and finished something?

After getting curious, I took action, and what happened was results.

Some of these results included self-publishing a book (Student Athlete 101: College Life Made Easy On & Off The Field) and producing a short television pilot on my own dime. No, the book hasn’t made me a millionaire and the networks passed on my show. Slowly but surely, though, I became addicted to finishing projects.

Then in 2011, and scores of finished projects later, I started my company in which I partner with young professionals and help them produce exceptional results in their careers. And you know what? Even with a steep learning curve, it’s going pretty good!

There’s no coincidence that the tag line of my company is, “Transform Potential Into Exceptional Performance.” Initially, that was for me. Now, it’s a call to action to empower others to do the same.

Now a question for you: Would you bet on you?

Would you bet on you doing all that’s required to accomplish your most important goals in life? Would you bet on you following through and staying committed? Would you bet on you taking that first step today?

It took me some time to learn, but until you’re willing to bet on you, it’s hard to get others to do the same.

Share in the comments section below why you would bet on you.

Antonio Neves is a career coach, speaker, and award-winning business journalist. He is the founder of THINQACTION, where he works with young professionals to produce exceptional results in their careers. Via his blog posts, videos, and speaking engagements, Antonio’s goal is to empower young professionals to create their own luck. For more on Antonio, visit his website, FACEBOOK or TWITTER.

