Play Your Game
I am not good at chess. I play a little and can hang in there through a game but I don’t take the game seriously. I’ve never touched a chess book as some people do. I do like to think ahead five or six moves and develop options based on possible moves from the opponent. I do the same when I fight. I plan my moves and plan my reactions to possible attacks but remaining flexible and alert to any surprises. I play chess very fast too. I don’t like to be there thinking for too long what my next move is going to be. Some people take so long to make a move a just bring my sketchbook with me and doodle while they think. People have their way of playing and I respect that.
During my stay in Kampala, Uganda we played chess from time to time. One of the guys was slightly obsessed to beat me since his first nine attempts didn’t prosper. I went to Rakai for a few days and upon my return to Kampala my friend was waiting for me at the gate with the chess board in his hands. He told me about his nightmares during those nights and how he figured out how to defeat me. Honestly, he was so much better than me at the game and also takes chess very seriously. His tenth attempt ended in his defeat yet again. At that point I had to reveal my secret: “You are defeating yourself. You are trying to play my way. Play your game not mine”. We played for the eleventh time and after two hours and twenty five minutes, and many sketches, he won.
Sometimes we get distracted from achieving our goals because we are trying to play someone else’s game. Each one of us have specific goals sustained by specific values and desires. However, sometimes we try to adapt our ways and end up losing ourselves. I’ve been asked by a few people to change my art to something more ‘commercial’ so I can sell more. People is always recommending to do things in a certain way as if one size fits all. On the other hand, some people try to do things the way I do things. Doing things the way I do things entails that you have to become me and that might not work for you. I am not a fan of either one.
We can share knowledge and we can learn from each other. These are two different processes. We share knowledge all the time. Right now as you read this I am sharing knowledge with you. We transfer or give information. Learning is about ‘making sense’ and ‘finding meaning’ of the information in ways that we can apply, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize in new ways to create new things or thoughts. Learning is not about copying, reproducing actions, or repeating what somebody else’s said. Learning is experience through applied knowledge. Use what you learn to play your game.
Challenge Makes Us Stronger
Losers seek easy. Champions seek challenge. Challenge makes us stronger. Easy makes us weak. Seems simple but only a few people like the idea of fighting hard for what they want. Easy comes… well… easy. It is very unlikely for someone to develop muscles without doing the work. Gold needs fire to become pure and valuable. It is of little honor for me to fight someone bellow my level. I want to fight people from which I can learn my weaknesses. Winning is fun only if there is some competition.
My son’s basketball team was undefeated until the last game on Friday night. They played a very good team that was and remains undefeated. My son’s team looked like they were feeling very confident for this game. Not to mention that they didn’t practice that week. It didn’t matter because they defeated all the other teams by 20 points each time. My son spent most of the week playing video games and his guitar. Although he made 10 points in this game he was not happy because the team lost. The other team came out with all intention to win from the start while my son’s team are used to take it a little easier the first few minutes.
It was a close game most of it but after a few turnovers under pressure and a few unfair calls or no calls when they were needed the team was falling behind by the end. Frustration began to overcome the players. My son says that frustration is like a disease and it doesn’t matter what you tell yourself to get collected and focus it doesn’t go away and it begins spreading through each player. All you can do is learn from this experience and move on to the next. I’m sure it will be a different picture next time.
Challenge keeps us grounded and humble, but hungry to achieve, to prepare. Preparation gives us the confidence to know we are ready to play. Awareness makes us strong, alert, and fierce. It is no secret that overconfidence is the pathway to defeat, to fall, to no longer fight hard from the start for what you want. Overconfidence makes us feel that victory is given. It is going to be another walk in the park until we are surprised by a strong contender seeking to win and to fight hard for the victory no matter the wins of the past. It is a new game. The board is back to zero. It is time to play.