Playing Life Like a Game of Chess
In the last chapter of her outstanding book "The Science of Stuck" the
author, Britt Frank encourages the reader to engage in their life as
they would in a game of chess. Each area of life - career, finance,
family, health, spirituality, hobbies, service and so on is like a piece
in the game of chess.
Each piece adds value when it's aligned
and utilized within the overall strategy of the player. At times certain
pieces may be blocked i.e. not be in a position where their full
potential can be utilized. But that doesn't end the game. A good player
knows to make short-term sacrifices to align the pieces suitably to
achieve the long-term / final objective. Likewise a good player focuses
on what moves she has available instead of being upset over the ones
that are not. At any point you "accept" the board position as it is and
make your next allowed move.
The metaphor of chess for life is both
inspiring and intriguing. The more I reflect, the more it seems
pertinent. I love the idea and see an opportunity to develop it further
with my own insights and life experiences. So here it goes.
Your King
The specialty of king is that if the king goes, the game ends.
Career, finance, health, relationships etc. are all very important but
is any one of them king? The game of life doesn't end with any one of
them. In my view king is LIFE itself. As long as we are ALIVE, the game
is ON. Any setback in any area of life is a setback - not the end of
game. The most important piece in life is life itself.
Areas of Life
What would you say to someone who is devoting all the energy and
focus to a singular piece trying to get it somewhere and ignoring all
other pieces on the board? Unwise right? But don't we see people doing this day in
and day out? Some with career, some with money, some with relationships
and so on. Exclusive focus on singular pieces is not a great strategy.
Comparison
Would you compare your knight position to that of opponent or your
rook to the opponent rook? Or try to match the position of your piece to that of the opponent? But we do this all the time for areas of
life. How smart is that?
Ever Changing Board
The board as well as life is not static. Every move by each player changes the board position.
Eternal Pieces
Unlike chess where a piece can get eliminated from the board,
in the game of life there is no permanent elimination. In life areas get
blocked from time to time but they can and do spring back to action
when opportunities arise which is likely because the board is not static.
Opponent King
The opponent king also a
very special piece in the game because when it's taken, the game ends.
In some sense it is like the ultimate purpose of one's life. It can't be
a specific goal in a specific area of life. Because achieving that will not end
the game.
In Vedanta literature often the question is posed -
"What when achieved nothing else remains to be achieved?" or "What when
known everything else is known?" And the answer is SELF realization /
knowledge. That is the summum bonum of life. And it's not a pipe dream
or fantasy. Throughout history there have been enlightened
beings who have realized the SELF. They transcended the game of life.
The Indian spiritual texts have a technical name for that state / achievement - Jivan
Mukti - Liberated while alive.
That's the king I'm playing to get. That's the king worthy of my life. All the pieces on my board are in service of that. How about you? What's the king you are playing to get?
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