Life As a Game of Chess
You might have seen in my earlier essays that I like to see life as though it was a game. Now I want to compare life as if it would be a game of chess. I think of it as I am representing the white and black is what I have to overcome in order to reach my life goals. My life goals is to be happy, reaching success as a writer, have many nice friends, getting a good girlfriend, raising successful children, being healthy, having financial freedom and helping other people to become successful.
I think it is important to understand that it is you who control the pawns, how they move and what happens to them rather than thinking that you are the pawns and they are controlled by God, your genes, patter in society, just random or any other such idea. Personally I believe that if you can establish the thinking that you are responsible for anything that happens in your life or did not happen which you wanted to happen then you have come far on your way.
The black pawns is every kind of obstacle or problem coming or standing in your way in reaching your goals and the game is if you can reach your goals despite any and all reasons. I believe you can, within reason.
In chess you predict what your opponent is going to do and each and every move has a consequence and meaning in the overall game. The same is in life. If you can predict what will happen in the future when you do certain actions and how your actions affects everything else I believe you are good on your way.
Did you ever play chess and stood up and walked around and saw the game from blacks side? Try to do the same in life. See life from other viewpoints and angles. Try the unknown, test things, learn, discover.
Probably the biggest difference between a game of chess and life is that in chess you know all the rules on how everything works. This is not so in life. In life you start as a child without a manual on how to live. Your parents and school will learn you a lot but most of the things you have to learn yourself. And many things are not easy. It is expected that you get good grades in school, find a good place to live, a job you like, a good wife or husband and successful children. This is not easy and some things can be very hard.
Perhaps you have seen the famous quote that says that your enemy is your greatest teacher? Well, in my example, I like to see it as the black pawns is what you learn from. Study how they move and what they do. See every setback as a new opportunity.
No matter how much you learn there is more you can learn. Never ever assume you know all about something. When I was a kid I read in an excellent article that an important point in becoming a genius is to learn something new each day. Focus on the things that will make you win over black and reach your goals in life.
“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.” – Thomas A. Edison
Checkmate!
Jim Westergren is a company owner from Sweden who lives together with his wife and son. Some of his interests are SEO, web development, writing and
good reading. Testing things can be a hard way to learn….
Chess just like life you need to remember that there is always someone better than you and you should always be trying to improve.
After You get past age 55, some of us realize that the game of Chess
that we call life continues on. This life is just a start. The old rules we knew at age 20 something, do not work in this area. I think
that the sucess that some have at a younger age is a decoy to make them miss out on what is really important.
yes I agree with you about life is like a chess game. if we only try to understand how life work,how are the rules of life, then you get nothing. as long as you make feeling about life,feel the rules, get understanding of what causes happenings in life, and aware of all you do every minute of your day, then you will find that…
yeah..life is really really like a chess game..with a little bit addition..hehe..
Thank You
True indeed that life is like a chess game. However, I think we should give full control of our lives to the Grandmaster of Life… and that is God Himself. He is and will never be defeated. He knows every move and how we are going to play it. Most of all, He knows the endgame. It is a must that we take responsibility of our actions and be accountable before Him. In the very first place, life is His gift to us. And whatever we do with it is our gift back to Him.
yes I agree with you about life is like a chess game. if we only try to understand how life work,how are the rules of life, then you get nothing. as long as you make feeling about life,feel the rules, get understanding of what causes happenings in life, and aware of all you do every minute of your day, then you will find that…
yeah..life is really really like a chess game..with a little bit addition..hehe..
Thank You
A wonderful representation!
Rick Boyter, what exactly is “really important” in life, that us young people miss out on?