The only problem is that if you're young enough to really need the advice, you're probably also too young to realize you do need it, and also too young to figure out how to put the wisdom of the song to use in your own life. But that doesn't mean it's not worth thinking about; I certainly did, when I was young and heard The Gambler on the radio all the time.
The man who wrote The Gambler, who's name is Don Schlitz, was only 23 at the time he wrote it; this blows me away.
Schlitz’ first hit as a songwriter was Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”, which
became a crossover country hit upon its release in 1978, later becoming one
of Rogers’ signature songs. Since then, Schlitz has written numerous country
songs and penned several hits for other country artists. Among his biggest
hits are two Number One songs which he co-wrote with Paul Overstreet,
“Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis and “When You Say Nothing at
All” by Keith Whitley. He has 24 number 1 hits on the Country Charts.
United States President George H. W. Bush also commissioned Schlitz to
write a theme song for his “Points of Light” program. This song,
“Point of Light”, was a No. 3 country hit for Randy Travis in 1991.
Schlitz also worked with Kenny Rogers again in 1998. Rogers joked at
the time that “every 20 years I will record a Don Schlitz song”.
The result was a hit single called “The Greatest”. Rogers also
recorded several more of his songs in 2013 for his best-selling
You Can’t Make Old Friends album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Schlitz