A friend writes…
Life is a game you can lose.
The most tragic way to lose is to master games that don’t matter.
The game of life
Life is not an infinite game. We all die.
But finite as it might be, the game of life contains a multitude of lesser games. Some are profound and many more are profane, some are only avaialble to the young and others can last a lifetime.
I don’t consider myself a master of even the games that I believe are important to play, and have spent all too long playing games that “don’t matter”. Nonetheless, I want to leave some light reflections.
Seeking games
Look for games that enhance your ability to play other games. Your health, for example, allows you more agency in the world. Wealth, likewise, lets you to sculpt an environment good for your health.
Find games that compound over time. The art of friendship is one such game.
Most games worth mastering have been around for a long time. Relationships, health, and service are all good examples.
If you see a game that you want to play but that hasn’t been around for a long time, ask yourself why. It might be because you’re looking at the wrong level of abstraction.
Align your values with the games you play. This sense of alignment is a good guide for what might be worth mastering.
Trust your gut, though this depends on your specific gut. Some people are more fearful and others more adventurous. Typically, those who are adventurous should trust their fear gut and those who are fearful should trust their adventure gut.
Areas to take care
The rewards of some games are karmic rather than immediate. This isn’t a religious statement. It simply means that you’re stacking the odds of life in your favor by playing such a game. This framing helps me bear the more challenging times.
Never believe that you deserve the rewards of a game, regardless of how well you play. This is game in itself.
On the other hand, trust that if you consistently work towards mastery of a game, you improve your odds. This is in tension with the previous point, but it’s ok to have principles in tension.
Beware of games that feel good in the moment but don’t create value. These aren’t so hard to tell, but if you’re not sure, examine how you feel after an encounter with the game. Are you better or worse off?
A final thought
The games you choose to master determine the quality of your life. If you’re ever confused about which might be worth doing, it’s always ok to fall back on relationships, health, and service.