Be careful what you wish for

I did not see the Golden Globes telecast Sunday, but I knew Ricky Gervais was the host. I did not know who most of the nominees were, had not seen most of the nominated movies, and still do not know who won. But, I knew in advance Ricky Gervais would be the host, and I knew he'd tip-toe on the line between clever and acerbic. 

If someone as out of touch with the event as me could anticipate how Gervais would perform, wouldn't the organizers of the event do so as well?

The organizers did know what to expect with Gervais as host, especially since he hosted the same event last year.

They invited him and wanted him to walk that fine line, and he did. Be careful what you wish for.

Gervais got a little too far over the line and was too mean-spirited, according to reviews of the event. Now, some of the superstars who were offended by Gervais's jabs are not pleased, which means they could avoid the event in the future. (Remember a few years ago when big stars did not attend awards shows? They were even more boring than they are now!)

Once you get what you asked for, you can't backtrack. You have to face the consequences.

The Golden Globes are just one example.


What about when the project you bid on comes through and you need to form a bigger team, work late for days on end, and invest big bucks before being reimbursed--be careful what you wish for. Don't complain about the bigger team, longer hours, or investment because you wished for all of that when you wished for the project.

What about when you are arguing with someone close to you and know you are right, so you keep arguing until the other person shuts down--be careful what you wish for. Don't be surprised when the other person shuts down or tunes you out for the rest of the day because you wished for all of that by wishing to win the argument.

Be careful what you wish for, and while you're wishing, think it through to be sure you're wishing for the right things. There's no backtracking later, so make wise wishes.