John-Talmage Mathis Quotes & Sayings

Since the beginning of time there have been people who see themselves as being above the law. To them the laws don't apply. These people often hold positions
in government and in the corporate world. Does a similar mentality exist within the casino world?
You betcha! — John-Talmage Mathis

The truth is, living in any society is difficult. Those who become desperate with a fractured sense of security are much more prone to being taken advantaged of. — John-Talmage Mathis

The ordeals of others ...
prepare us, and
later become the compass ...
in our time of ordeal. — John-Talmage Mathis

Tools that make life simpler ... tend to make life more hectic, and more prone to disruptions. — John-Talmage Mathis

Was I a fool to believe in fate or in some destined illusionary path? I don't know. But we all need something to believe in. — John-Talmage Mathis

Move aside Ebola, smallpox, and AIDS; make room for narcolepsy. I would become shunned and avoided. Perhaps the
people at the casino thought that this fatigue disease was contagious.
Just because I yawn and you yawn shortly
after doesn't mean that you have suddenly been infected with narcolepsy. It would be silly if they had in fact thought this. — John-Talmage Mathis

All decisions we've come to accept as right or wrong are ingrained in us from the society in which we abide. Rights and wrongs are not universally known or transferable. — John-Talmage Mathis

My first bit of advice is to not personalize a job loss. The cause for the dismissal was a business calculation. This is difficult for many to grasp; it's difficult to accept that events just occur. Come to see this as an experience. Obviously not the most pleasant experience, but it is one that you'll overcome. — John-Talmage Mathis

Gossip is an unavoidable evil at school, work, or wherever, but when the HR department gossips, it elevates into malice. — John-Talmage Mathis

Don't allow another human to decide your priorities. Their decisions are made without the slightest concern for how you're inconvenienced. — John-Talmage Mathis

This person sees not her own hand depositing the next dollar in a slot machine, but the hand of fate, or God. It's her true conviction that there are forces at work for her to win a large jackpot - or at least to win back the money lost.
After all, the only-for-show pictures of fruit had almost aligned with one another the last couple spins. — John-Talmage Mathis

I've never felt that the American Dream was owed to me. I never felt that I was entitled to this Dream. This is why I laid the cobblestone before me for this Dream to be achieved. — John-Talmage Mathis

In whatever decisions you make in life, you have to run them through a series of logic tests to make sure that there aren't better alternatives.
Don't ever accept anything blindly - good or bad. — John-Talmage Mathis

There is no magical formula to beat the casino. None. Save your money. Save yourself from the cons of an author and the cons of the casino. — John-Talmage Mathis

The pain and shame felt are unknown to those with planned vacations. They know not of the tsunami that rescinded the homes, goals, and hopes of its victims - swallowed by the sea of greed. — John-Talmage Mathis

You've looked in the mirror long enough.
See everything as if it were narrated by another. — John-Talmage Mathis

Fear is different;
it remains;
it causes prejudice. — John-Talmage Mathis

And to fight this beast of wrong is what I intend to do. To do otherwise is to sidestp this rabid injustice. — John-Talmage Mathis

Dedication is a great trait. It's also the trait most abused by superiors. In short, you are an asset that can be easily replaced. Your proficiency is profitable to the company and makes life easier for supervisors. But the constant imbalance may result in a divorce or decline in health. Is that what you agreed to when you were hired? — John-Talmage Mathis

Creativity and passion dwindle when hungry. Premiums for talent are easier to demand when desperation isn't part of the equation. If I'm established, I can demand $350 an hour. If I'm desperate, I may accept $5. — John-Talmage Mathis

When the noise is gone, and
the air is still ...
prepare for survival. — John-Talmage Mathis

Is it really necessary to reward the CEO with several million dollars? Why isn't it logical or common sense to pay the minimum-wage employee another quarter, give a quarterly fifty-dollar bonus, or even provide a two-hundred-dollar gas gift card? — John-Talmage Mathis

It felt wrong for me to push Lady Luck to the side and for me to choose who ought to be 'lucky'. It didn't seem right. It wasn't fair. — John-Talmage Mathis

Until a job is outsourced or streamlined through an innovation, an employee is trained to operate robotically. This is what a brand is. — John-Talmage Mathis

This is what you have . . . that many don't: TIME — John-Talmage Mathis

Listen to people; nothing is accomplished if you dismiss other viewpoints. And of most importance: be confident. Have confidence in yourself. Have confidence in your resume - in your skills and in your qualifications. Be willing to learn. — John-Talmage Mathis

Trust can be one of life's greatest rewards, but it can also be the cause for the most destruction in one's life. — John-Talmage Mathis

So I resort back to such ideology: we all have a calling. We all have an ultimate purpose. On that is laid before us by destiny or one that is positioned in the crosshairs of our long-term goals. — John-Talmage Mathis

Life is about finding . . .
what works best for you. — John-Talmage Mathis

Every player eventually loses all their money. — John-Talmage Mathis

Self-preservation - this is your new focus.
The only obligation of today is to preserve the breath of tomorrow. Then, once footing is regained, you can begin to fulfill debt obligations.
Debt is hindsight. — John-Talmage Mathis

You've had many ordeals in the past. During these ordeals, life seemed unbearable. You may have collapsed from the exhaustion of hopelessness and curled into a fetal position. Regardless of how difficult this new ordeal may be, as with the others, this too will be overcome. It will make you stronger. — John-Talmage Mathis

Let your strength from the past
provide proof of your abilities to ...
conquer the difficulties of the present. — John-Talmage Mathis

My casino experience is to someone else their experience with their employer, of how the company has elected to behave solely for greed, profits, and spite. But we shouldn't give up hope in such situations. We have an obligation to separate the justices from the injustices. We should hold these corporate neighbors accountable for the wrongs that they commit.
Someone has to. — John-Talmage Mathis

Don't allow past experiences to be forgotten.
Hold them close. — John-Talmage Mathis

Life isn't fair. It doesn't make sense. This unfairness is felt by everyone, from the Las Vegas tunnel dweller all the way to the executive in the high-rise. To some, these "unfair" experiences become a chastening ball and chain attached for the remainder of life. — John-Talmage Mathis

Don't forget:
Ruts aren't that much different ...
from graves. — John-Talmage Mathis

I live by the belief that if you work hard and do the best you can, at the end of the day sleep comes easily for the dollar that was earned honestly. It was a lesson instilled by my parents. It was a lesson that I have always followed and found to be quite accurate. — John-Talmage Mathis

Preparation:
allows you to prevent ...
the intensity of the ordeal. — John-Talmage Mathis

Electricity, shelter, and a safe place to sleep ...
trump the need to preserve your credit score, or
purchase a new gizmo. — John-Talmage Mathis