I used to say ‘Live in the Moment!’ while I took the extra slice, opened the next bottle of wine, or ran up my credit card.

But now I realize that living in the moment does not mean running up a tab for the future.

I listen to motivational videos each morning, and today’s speaker was illustrating the concept that taking the easy path now, will make your life harder in the future.

For example, if we don’t eat properly and exercise well now, then we may end up with painful inflammation and/or diabetes in our older years. And, if we enjoy the pleasure of that impulse purchase, then we may find it hard to make the credit card payments in the future.

This relates so much to how a Casino Host should approach an unhappy or demanding client. It is so much easier, in the moment, to tell the guest what they want to hear but then you may have to come back and look powerless by saying ‘My boss won’t let’ me.

Here’s a great summary from Matthew Oxford of Tulalip Resort Casino. ‘It’s great to come across as a “Johnny on the spot” individual who swiftly takes care of any and all needs, but make sure you can finish what you start. Don’t lead off every answer with, “of course”, or “you got it!”. Give yourself some wiggle room with an open-ended answer like, “let me see what I can do for you”. This allows you to work with your casino team in case there are issues that would otherwise prevent you from handling the request.’

Matt is describing the need to take the harder path now, and not bring an immediate smile to the guest’s face, by delaying that gratification until we know what we can actually do for the guest.

“The easy road becomes hard with time and the hard road becomes easy” – Blaz Kos.

You can read more examples from Blaz at this blog post where he provides examples from all aspects of our lives to show how having personal discipline now will actually pay off later. E.g. If we save now, we will retire in comfort. If we drink lots of clean water and eat clean food now, then we will be fit and healthy and glow.

It is easy to crack and take the easy path but it will only lead to more  trouble.

And what do I now mean by ‘Living in the Moment?’  For me, it is remembering this phrase ‘no amount of guilt will change the past, and no amount of worry will change the future’. So I am grateful to be alive and living in this moment. Have a great day! Jackie,