Life Is A Game
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Daily Thought
Life is a game, play it. - Mother Teresa
Let’s Discuss
Life is a game.
But there's no referee, no instruction manual.
You are the architect.
YOU invent the rules.
This simple realization contains enormous power to shape your decisions, path and destiny.
(It’s also a complete 180 from how most people navigate through life).
Rules are not universal truths.
They emerge from our personal values, goals and preferences. Over time, we may alter them as we grow.
Examples of "rules" that guide us:
I will nurture my talents and creativity.
I will prioritize learning over approval.
I will take care of my physical and mental health.
These types of first principles steer us towards or away from certain choices and behaviors. They form the implicit criteria we use to judge our days.
Rules depend on context and the player. Yours may not match friends or family - and that divergence is to be celebrated.
You cannot outsource your rule-making (it’s dangerous).
When we blindly absorb the norms of society as our de facto rules, we become passive participants in a game not of our making. Days pass governed not by inner truth but the external whims of others.
The result can be resentment, anxiety, emptiness.
We sell chunks of finite life for applause or acceptance never truly ours.
Urgent question: Are the standards I chase my own? Or inherited without scrutiny?
This distinction holds the secret to fulfillment or regret.
So what is the answer? Owning dominion over the rules. It’s scary, yet vital.
It requires ruthless honesty around our core priorities beyond status or wealth. Then setting first principles to propel choices in service of a life that is beautifully ours.
It’s scary. But it’s worth it.
Have dominion over your own rules. Play your own game.
Here’s some tips for the journey:
Define values clearly: Articulate table-stakes rules for well-being - physical, emotional, creative. These guardrails enable daring play.
Default to autonomy: Our sovereign right is to gently reject norms misaligned with self-knowledge & purpose. Monthly audits help.
Reward rewriting: Changing rules is cause for celebration. It signifies responsive evolution based on fresh inputs. You should encourage this in yourself (and others).
The game awaits your first move as the sole author. Step forward with courage to dictate rules that unlock meaning, vibrancy and fulfillment at the highest level.
How are you going to play?